Viva Las Vegas
by TheJavaGirls
Summary: Liason, EmilyJohnny, SonnyBrenda. Sin City, a wild and crazy night can change a lot of things.
1. Chapter 1

"Two days, twelve hours and..." Looking down at her watch Liz grinned in excitement. "Twenty-three seconds spring break will be upon us. We can leave behind our bulky sweaters and winter jackets and look forward to swimsuits and suntan lotion." Shutting her Western Civ book with a loud dramatic bang, Elizabeth Webber stood from the library table she and her best friend and roommate had been sitting at for the last three hours, ignoring the glares from the other students around her.

"Yup." Emily mumbled as she started to pack up her books, not looking her friend in the eye.

"That's not a here we come Fort Lauderdale yup is it." Liz's smile slipped from her face as she studied the other girl's expression. "That looks more like a, my family screwed my vacation plans again kind of look." When Emily didn't look up, Liz slumped back down in her chair. "No! You've got to be kidding me. We have our tickets."

"I know." Emily grimaced.

"A-and we tortured ourselves since Christmas to diet and get into shape for this." Liz's brow creased as frustration gnawed at her insides.

"I know." Twisting in her chair Emily begged Liz with her eyes to understand. "My brother's business partner and not to mention best friend are getting married. If Sonny hadn't done so much for me when I lived in Port Charles I would've said no, but..."

Waving a hand for Emily to stop Liz tried to give her best grin and bare it smile. "Don't worry about. It's not like I really thought we'd get to go. I mean we do have two more years and all."

"I feel so bad." Emily argued. "I mean every vacation something has come up. I just found out this morning and was trying to find a way to tell you."

"Don't worry about it." Resting her hand on top of Emily's shoulder, Liz winked. "I'm sure I'll find a way you can make it up to me. There's tons to do around here. I mean there's always finding new and exciting ways to avoid my family. I could always go skiing I guess." Liz tried hard not to shudder at the thought of hitting the slopes alone during Spring Break. She knew that Emily always felt so guilty every time she had to bail on one of their vacations.

But coming from a family as dysfunctional as Emily's, Liz knew what a strain it could be trying to ward them off when crisis came about. Plus when a person had a heart as big as Em's it was hard to say no.

Ruined vacations aside, Emily Quartermaine was the best friend Liz had ever known. The first person that not only had met the Webbers but had disliked them from the start. It was refreshing really, having someone on her side, and believing in her. It made going to CU, a college not more than twenty minutes from her parents home a lot more bearable.

Emily chewed on her lower lip until her eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face. "I know! Why don't you come with me?"

"To Port Charles?" Liz shook her head. "No thank you. You've told me enough about that place that I doubt I'll ever cross New York's state line in fear that that town may suck me in and never spit me out. I'd rather go visit my Aunt May and Uncle Earl on their farm in Kansas."

"It's not that bad!" Laughing at Liz's horror stricken face, Emily said. "But Sonny and Brenda aren't getting married there, they're going to Las Vegas."

Rolling her eyes and standing up again, Liz grabbed her books. "Now that's what I call romantic. Next thing you'll tell me is that Elvis is going to marry them. Polyester suite and all."

Picking up her book bag and following Liz through the sea of students all crammed into the library for some last minute cramming, Emily felt the weight of having to burst Liz's Spring Break plans lift. She knew it would only take a matter of minutes to persuade her.

"Besides I can see it now. My with my horrible luck at getting in trouble having to call my parents to get me out of jail." Liz turned around to walk backwards, making the on coming students get out of her way.

"Oh stop it." Laughing, Emily shook her head. True Liz's ability to get herself into jams had kept them pretty busy over the last few years, nothing serious, but always good for a laugh. "Trust me, Jason and Sonny's men will be all over the place, I doubt we could sneeze without someone knowing."

Liz stopped. "That's right. Your brother is part of the M-O-B." A glimmer of excitement lit Liz's dark blue orbs.

Looking around and putting a hand over Liz's mouth, Emily's eyes flared. "I'm sure everyone around here is a little past Hooked on Phonics. Perhaps you'd like to use the intercom and announce what my brother does."

Both girls burst out laughing, receiving glares from the studying students. Grabbing Liz's hand, Emily pulled her to the exit. "Come on before the mob stones us." As soon as they were outside, Emily looked over at Liz. "So you'll come?"

"I don't know. I mean I don't want to intrude." Buttoning her jacket with trembling hands as the Rocky Mountain air stung her cheeks, turning them rosy.

"You won't be." Emily grinned. She knew Liz well enough to know that at any moment she'd cave.

Walking in silence for a few blocks Liz paused and smiled. "I just have one question."

"What?"

"What does one wear to a mob wedding?"

"And why exactly can't I go to Las Vegas with you?" Carly demanded as she followed Jason up the stairs and to his room.

Grabbing a bag from his closet, Jason sighed and dropped his head a bit. He was tired, it had been a long day, and the last thing he needed right now was another fight with Carly.

"Carly drop it, I've already explained why you can't go." Tossing the large black duffle into the center of the bed, Jason turned his back on Carly and headed to his dresser.

"Oh that's right, her might and royal Miss Barrette. God forbid anyone upset the Queen." Sneering, Carly put her hands on her hips.

"Carly, it's her wedding." Shoving a handful of socks into his bag, Jason squeezed his eyes shut, silently telling himself he was putting up with this for Michael's sake. That the little boy he had come to love like his own, deserved to have a chance at a family. Even if his mother drove him to insanity.

"Big deal. So I don't go to the wedding. It doesn't mean that I can't go to Las Vegas with you."

"What about Michael? I don't want him there, it'll be too dangerous." Walking over to his closet he pulled out a few shirts.

"My mother can-."

Jason held up a hand, "Carly stop. My answer is no. We've been through this ever since Sonny and Brenda decided to get married at the new casino we bought."

Her eyes blazing, Carly took a few steps forward until she was just inches away. "Jason I swear, if I don't go you will be sorry."

Another Carly threat. Carly doesn't get her way, she threatens. Honestly he was getting tired of it. The woman threatened him more then his enemies did. Most of the time she used Michael against him. Clearly knowing how emotionally attached he'd become to the little boy.

The phone rang as the two continued to glare at one another. On the forth ring, he sighed before turning his back to her and headed to the phone.

"Morgan." Rubbing at the balled up muscles at the base of his neck, he tried taking a few deep breaths.

"_Let me guess the bitch is at it again?" _Emily's voice came over the line, bringing an instant smile to his lips.

"Emily," Taking a look over at the clock he took note of the time. "Shouldn't you be studying, or at least sleeping?"

With a loud groan, Emily said. "_No Daddy. Actually I was getting ready to go to an orgy."_

Jason's brows lowered. "What?"

"_Nothing, Jesus Jason you used to have a sense of humor. Has the rabid shrew from hell already sucked you dry?"_

"You'll see what a great sense of humor I have when I send Johnny or Francis out there to guard you." Jason smirked. He heard Carly mutter behind him before storming out of the room and slamming the door.

"_You do that. Liz would terrorize them to the point that they'd come running home within a week."_Emily laughed.

He loved hearing her laugh. To know that for once his little sister was happy and out of his families reach gave him a little peace. He had been a little leery at first when she had announced her plans on going out to Colorado for college. She just seemed too young, too innocent to be that far away from home. But she had blossomed.

"Who's Liz?"

"_Do you ever listen to me when I talk?"_

"Of course I do. Liz is your new dog." The corner of his lips twitched as he braced the phone between his ear and shoulder and continued to pack. Her shriek of outrage nearly had him laugh.

"_You know what Jason, forget having that best brother spot in my heart. Even AJ knows who Liz is."_

Jason immediately frowned. "That's because when he was visiting you last year he threw up all over her."

"So you know who I'm talking about then?"

"Emily I always listen to you. Liz has been your roommate for the last two years. Her family is from Boulder, she has an older brother and sister, who you hate. She's been kicked out of two private schools and arrested once for indecent exposure."

"_Which wasn't her fault."_

"Of course." The sound of Carly slamming around downstairs made him pause.

"_Well I was wondering if she could come with me. I kinda had to bail on her for Spring Break and I really feel bad."_

Sitting down on his bed, Jason pinched the bridge of his nose as he pictured two twenty year olds running around Vegas. "Absolutely not."

"_What?_" Emily's disbelief was evident, making Jason feel a little bad.

"Emily I can't risk her safety. It's going to be enough just to make sure you're safe."

"_Oh come on Jason, we'll be good I swear. We'll do everything you tell us to."_

Letting out a long breath, he looked down at his feet. He knew that Emily was going to go crazy by herself at the hotel alone. There was a lot business that had to be done so he wouldn't be able to be there with her all the time. Plus Francis was already going to be her guard, and it wasn't as if he couldn't handle another girl.

"Fine." Holding the phone away from his ear, Jason winced at Emily's excited squeal. "BUT, you do what I say."

"_We promise."_

"I mean it Emily. I'll send her back to Boulder in a second."

"_Jason I swear we will be perfect little angels."_

Rolling his eyes, Jason couldn't help but snort. "Yeah more like perfect little devils. Oh yeah one more thing."

"_What's that?"_

"I want the two of you fully clothed at all times. There'll be no arrests for indecent exposure. No tattoos, no piercings and absolutely no getting married. Do I make myself clear?"

"_Jason has anyone ever told you that you're a geek?"_

"Bye Emily." Jason shook his head and put down the phone.

Carly stood with the phone clasped in her hand, her eyes in narrow slits as she tried to control the raging anger pumping through her body. So it was okay for his little sister and some stranger to go, but he put his foot down when it came to her? The person he was supposedly trying to form family with for her son.

This wasn't a good sign. She knew that Jason wasn't in love with her. Though he cared about her as a friend, she wasn't a fool to think he was with her because of her. It was about Michael.

Setting the phone back on it's receiver, Carly formed a plan as she grabbed her purse and headed to her Mother's.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Two days, ten hours and fifteen seconds later, both girls came bursting through the door to their apartment in a flurry of jackets and book bags. Already they were running late, their plane scheduled to leave in about two and a half-hours, not to mention the hour-long ride to the airport.

"Have you seen those new shoes I bought?" Liz called out from her room as she struggled to pull her over packed suitcase off her bed with two hands, until it came crashing to the floor.

"You mean those ugly green platforms? The ones that I hated on sight and begged you to seriously reconsider?" Emily yelled back from across the hallway as she shoved said shoes under her pillow. She really did hate them, wincing every time she saw them. "No."

Liz gasped and let go of the heavy bag. Walking across the hallway and into Emily's room. "They aren't ugly."

"Liz I've seen homeless people wearing better looking shoes." Checking her purse for her itinerary, Emily kept half an eye on her friend as she scouted the room for the missing shoes. Ready to pull out her pepper spray if need be.

"Oh come on, those shoes are perfect." Getting on her knees and lifting up Emily's dust ruffle she looked under the bed. "Do you know how clean it is under here?"

With a roll of her eyes, Emily shrugged her shoulders. "So."

"Really this disturbs me. There's not a dust bunny in sight." Giving up on looking under the bed for her missing shoes, Liz hurried over to the closet. "Do you swear that you haven't seen my shoes?"

Crossing her fingers behind her back, Emily grinned. "Liz think about it, why would I take the one thing that has been giving me nightmares for over a week now?"

Chewing on her lower lip, Liz scanned the room one last time and sighed in defeat. "I really wanted to wear those."

"With what? You don't own anything that comes close to matching them." Smiling sweetly over at Liz, Emily hooked her arm through her friends and pulled her from the room. "We need to hurry, the taxi will be here in a few minutes."

Dragging their luggage to the front door, both girls grabbed their winter jacket, happy that they'd soon be shading them when they got off the plane in Nevada.

"I can't believe we're going to Las Vegas." Shaking her head as she rummaged through her purse, Liz made sure everything she needed was accounted for. "I mean wow."

"I know. This is going to be so much fun! I'm glad that you're coming, I couldn't imagine having to spend time with my brother's psychotic girlfriend."

"That bad?" Liz asked not really paying attention.

"You think I'm joking? She's seen the inside of a mental hospital. The girl is certifiable. One minute she's dating Jason, the next she's married to my other brother AJ." Pulling on her jacket, Emily saw the look of disgust flash across Liz's pretty features.

"Anyone stupid enough to marry that jackass should be committed. He ruined my favorite leather jacket." Wrapping her scarf around her neck, Liz pouted. "I thought that lushes were supposed to be able to hold their alcohol."

"If it makes you feel any better I really do feel bad about that." Remembering the nightmare of AJ's last visit, Emily wondered for the hundredth time why she had even let AJ come.

"Well Jason and Carly are living together now, raising her son Michael."

Liz paused. "I thought he was the father."

"Nope, AJ is."

"Okay I'm lost." Rubbing her forehead, Liz closed her eyes while she tried to fit the pieces together. "Jason's not the father."

"No."

"AJ is."

"Right." Emily gave a firm nod.

"But Jason and Carly are now living together and raising Michael." Her brow scrunched.

"Exactly."

"Still fuzzy here. Jason hates AJ, right."

Emily looked thoughtful. "I think hate is too loose of a term. Despises fits better. Loathes also works wonders."

"But he has no problems being with a girl that was married to AJ?" The blare of the taxi's horn put both girls' into motion. Grabbing their bags, they headed out the door.

"I didn't say that Jason likes it. He loves Michael and would just about anything for him." Dragging her bags the last few steps to the taxi, Emily silently hoped that the driver would get off his duff and come and help them. When the truck popped open and the driver remained sitting behind the wheel, both girls shared a look of irritation as they fought to get their bags into the back of the yellow taxi.

As soon as their stuff was settled, Liz slammed the trunk down with a grumble about tips and lack of them. "Okay so back to your brother's evil and psychotic girlfriend."

Both girls climbed into the cab, telling the driver their destination. "Not much else to tell, except if you see her coming it's too late. She's an unholy terror, and it's always a good idea to steer clear from her."

"Check." Liz nodded, silently feeling sorry for Emily's older brother. Not that she really knew him personally, but Emily gushed his praises enough that at times it felt as if she did. "Carly bad, steering clear good."

"Besides Brenda will be there, she's gotten pretty good at keeping Carly in line. Those two hate each other with a passion."

"So Brenda is the one getting married?" Trying to ignore the insane speed the taxi driver insisted going, Liz bit down on her lower lip. She'd been known in the past to say things before thinking. And the last thing she wanted right now was some middle-aged man with a bad case of road rage dumping them off miles away from the airport.

"Yes, you'll like her." Emily grinned. "Just think in just a few hours we'll be in Vegas, with our fake ID's and new clothes... This is going to be the best Spring Break ever."

"Do you ever have a feeling that something big is going to happen?" Jason leaned back against the couch and rubbed his hands over his face in frustration.

Looking up from the folder he was reading, Sonny smirked over at his friend and partner. "No not at all."

Realizing that he had actually spoken out loud Jason's cheeks reddened. "I know that Carly is up to something. Knowing her it's going to get her into trouble. My baby sister is on her way here, and I still can't believe I agreed that she could bring her roommate."

Setting the folder down, Sonny studied Jason's face. It was frustrating as hell having to stand back and watch while Carly yanked Jason around, fully knowing that he'd go to hell and back for Michael. Sonny knew of the late night rides Jason took, trying to clear his head and find someway to escape Carly's nasty hold on him, but still keep that little boy in his life.

Several times he'd tried talking Jason into getting rid of her once and for all. He knew women like Carly, you could find one on every street corner. They were opportunistic low life bottom feeders that could care less about anyone but themselves, including their own children.

"I know that you don't want to hear what I have to say about the Carly situation..."

With a heavy sigh, Jason shook his head, while he rubbed the back of his neck. "I know how you feel about her. But I can't lose Michael. He doesn't deserve to have me in and out of his life like I have been."

"I never said that I didn't understand why you're staying with Carly. I just don't like it." Sonny's face was void of its usual dimpled smile.

"I really don't want to talk about Carly." It was humiliating having his weakness out for his friend to see. More humiliating that he allowed someone to take advantage of him like Carly did.

"Fine we'll talk about your adorable younger sister and her roommate." Chuckling now, Sonny watched as Jason groaned as if he were in pain.

"You laugh now, just wait. Emily's roommate has a knack of getting into trouble." Narrowing his eyes while Sonny's chuckles turned into laughter, Jason seriously considered why he remained friends with his boss. "Sonny I'm not joking. This girl got arrested for indecent exposure in Vail last year."

Raising a brow in question, Sonny picked up his tumbler of Scotch. "Wild child I take it."

"That's the thing, she's not. From the sounds of it she just finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The information Benny got on her she seems like a nice kid."

"Kid?" Sonny lifted a brow in Jason's direction, an irritating smirk on his face. "She's the same age as your sister right?"

"Yeah." Frowning at Sonny's apparent amusement, Jason crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Jason I hate to be the one to tell you this but your sister's no longer a kid. Hell half the guys get all tongue-tied whenever she's around." Watching Jason's features darken, Sonny held up a hand. "Not that any of them would do anything."

"They better not." Mumbling to himself, Jason walked past Sonny to the large picture window that looked down on the street below. "I just have a bad feeling."

Waving off his friend's worries, Sonny picked up the folder he'd been reading. "Jason you're acting like a little old woman. Relax. Francis will be guarding them. He'll make sure nothing happens." Sonny's words did little to calm his nerves, as he watched the people below. He lived by his gut instincts, and right now they were screaming. "And Benny knows to contact us if Carly steps one foot out of Port Charles."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Having lived with her best friend for a little over two years, Liz knew a lot about her friend's life back on the East Coast. Having learned long ago about Emily's disgustingly wealthy family, and their strange and sometimes terrifying ways they showed love. Liz sometimes wondered how someone so special like Emily could come from such beasts. This family had seen it all and done it all, too bad not many of its members learned from their mistakes.

Through long nights and lots of tears, Liz learned of the disastrous night that AJ had driven his car into a tree, throwing Jason from the passenger seat. How terrified Emily had been when she didn't know if her brother was going to live. To her uncertainty when Jason finally opened his eyes, not only was she a stranger to him, but also the room full of family members waiting at his bedside.

It was the stories about Jason that intrigued Liz the most. Her heart hurt when Emily told her of the anger he'd felt trapped living in the Quartermaine mansion, expected to act like the man he once had been. She had felt slightly jealous when he'd moved out, making his own way in the world without his family's power and influence.

All her life she had tried to shape herself into the daughter and sister everyone wanted her to be, always falling short of the mark. It seemed the harder she tried the more aggravated her parents would get with her. In the end it felt as if she were a dog chasing it's tail. But no matter how mad she got, she never thought of turning her back on it all and walking away from the expectations she knew she'd never achieve.

So even though she'd never personally met Emily's older brother, she felt as if she'd known him for years. The few times that he had called to talk to Emily, he'd always been polite. Unlike that jackass AJ, whose sexual innuendos and crass comments made her wonder if they even shared any DNA.

It had been a surprise, finding out that her friend knew people in the Mob, not to mention being related to one of them. Liz's previous knowledge of the highly glamorous life consisted of old reruns of the Godfather and a few episodes of the Sopranos. Emily quickly de-glamed it for her. Telling of how these people had real lives and interests like everybody else. That Sonny, Jason's boss and best friend, who loved to cook, was even known to be a little protective when it came to his kitchen and cookware. Jason prized his bike and the open road. On several occasions he had been known to disappear for weeks at a time.

Nothing though, prepared her for the reality of what the next week was going to bring. Her first bite of reality was in the form of their bodyguard, Francis. By far not the largest man she'd ever come face to chest with, but definitely the most intimidating.

"Francis!" Liz watched in awe as Emily greeted the man, who probably made most grown men tremble, with an easy smile.

"Miss Quartermaine, it's a pleasure to see you again." Reaching out for Emily's carry-on bag, Liz realized she'd been staring when the man turned to her and offered to take hers as well. "Miss Webber, welcome to Las Vegas." The smile he gave her was genuine, taking away some of the indecision that had a strong hold over her.

Putting her hands on her hip, Emily gave Francis a deadly glare. "We've been through this before. I swear to God, if you call me Miss Quartermaine all week I'll make your life a living hell. I've done it before and I defiantly will do it again."

Throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "You know I can't do that, Jason would kick my ass all the way back to New York." His lips twitched as he tried in vain to keep a straight face.

"Right, just like you couldn't teach me to play poker the last time." Francis chuckled, but the amusement didn't seem to reach his eyes.

"Fine then how about a compromise? I'll call you Emily when your brother and Mr. Corinthos aren't around."

Giving him a victorious nod, Emily stuck out her hand. "Deal. The same goes for Liz too. Trust me she can be a lot more irritating than I ever dreamed of being."

"So I heard." Francis mumbled as he led them to claim their luggage.

When he was a few feet ahead, Liz finally found her tongue. Leaning her head closer to her friend, Liz asked in a hushed voice. "What did he mean?"

"Huh?"

"What did he mean when he said, 'So I heard'?" Knowing that her Emily was being evasive, Liz let out a disgruntled sigh.

"Oh, that..." Emily's cheeks reddened, growing silent as she thought for a moment. "I'm not going to lie to you. I'm positive that my brother and Sonny had you checked out."

"Checked out?"

"You know, like knowing everything about you." Emily said, looking uneasy. "Making sure you aren't a threat to them or their family."

"Everything?" Looking doubtful, Liz felt her stomach drop when Emily refused to meet her eyes.

"Well you'll be happy to know that Jason thought you did a great job on your last Bio exam."

Liz paused, until Emily's words started to make sense. "I took Bio my freshman year...You mean to tell me that they've been spying on me?"

"Well not really... Okay so perhaps you could say that they probably know more about you than your own parents do, but think about it Liz, they really can't be too careful."

They continued to follow Francis, both girls silent. A thought struck Liz as her cheeks turned a flaming red. "Do they know what happened in Aspen? When I got locked out of the cabin?"

"Didn't you ever wonder how you made bail so fast?" Emily was giggling now, ignoring Liz's horrified expression.

"Oh my God." Bringing her hands to her face, Liz felt her cheeks still burning in humiliation. She wasn't certain, but she thought she heard Francis snickering in front of them.

"Oh come on it wasn't that bad."

"Not for you, you had your clothes on."

"Liz don't stress about it. They have more important things on their minds to worry about than your little run-in with the law. You'll see, I'm sure that Jason and Sonny have completely forgotten about it."

"Gee thanks Em, are you saying that me naked is something that's easily forgotten?" Trying to push aside her humiliation and see the humor in the situation, Liz cracked an impish grin.

"You naked in in freezing cold conditions... I doubt anyone will ever forget about that."

"So Jason." Taking the white linen napkin off the table and placing it in her lap, Brenda narrowed her eyes at her intended target. Still highly annoyed that she'd been confined to hers and Sonny's lavish suite all day, because of a last minute meeting that couldn't be put off, she didn't plan on taking it easy on the two males that made it their duty to make her life miserable. "Tell me what you've got planned for Sonny's bachelor party tonight."

Not missing the calculating way Sonny's fiance was watching him, Jason gave a casual shrug. "Nothing special."

With an irritated snort, Brenda rolled her eyes. "Nothing special as in what? The usual stripper jumping out of a cake, special? Or nothing special as in butt out it's none of my business, special?"

The corners of Jason's mouth lifted, knowing that Brenda was trying to bait him he just shook his head. "A little of both."

"Well you better make sure Sonny stays out of trouble, because if not I'll be hunting you down." Placing her hand on top of Sonny's, and giving a soft squeeze, Brenda laughed at the pained look her fiance sent her way.

"Don't worry." Sonny said. "Jason has a special ability to suck the fun out of a room in seconds flat."

Looking up sharply, Jason frowned slightly. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh come on Jase, ever since that big-mouthed blond shrew entered your life you've been about as much fun as my Grandfather on bingo night."

"Sonny." Sending his friend a look of warning, Jason turned his attention to the menu in front of him. He wished that he could've stayed in his room and ordered room service, but Sonny insisted that he join him and Brenda. If it weren't for the fact that their new business partners demanded to speak he'd be at the airport right now. Picking up his baby sister and her friend.

"What?" Innocence written all over his face, Sonny gave his friend a dimpled smile. "I'm just saying that you're not as fun as you used to be. Not that it's a bad thing." Trying to ignore his friend's obvious taunt, Jason clenched his jaw.

"Leave Jason alone." Brenda scolded, her eyes sparkling in glee. "It's not his fault that he got snared by that two faced lying bitch."

"Will you two drop it?" Knowing that his friends truly had his best interests at heart, Jason still wasn't in the mood to sit through another Carly bashing session. "It has nothing to do with her. You both know that I'm with Carly only because of Michael."

Setting aside his menu, Sonny looked over the table at Jason, his previous teasing expression replaced with concern. "I understand that you love him Jase, but you're throwing away your life for someone that doesn't deserve you. You can be Michael's father without having to chain yourself to Carly." Pausing Sonny watched as Jason's impassive face darkened. "Just hear me out. We all know that she's playing on your emotions, using Michael as a pawn. She knows you don't love her, hell on a good day you can't stand her."

"That's not true." Snapping his mouth shut Jason wondered why he was defending Carly sitting back in his chair, he stared off preparing himself for a repeat conversation he'd already heard a hundred times.

"Oh please." Brenda rolled her eyes in disgust. "Jason you only defend her out of habit. When was the last time the two of you even slept together?"

"Come on hun, we're here to eat." Making a face, Sonny shuddered slightly.

"No really, I want to know. I mean I can't imagine why he's keeping her around if she isn't good in the sack." Turning her innocent eyes in Jason's direction, she gave him a blinding smile that grated on his nerves.

"I'm not going to talk about my sex life with you." Picking up his water glass, Jason took a sip.

"Oh I know we aren't talking about your sex life, I was asking more about your lack of a sex life." Jason sputtered, choking on the water, glaring over at the brunette who was laughing at him.

"Enough, enough." Wiping the tears from his eyes, Sonny held up one hand to silence his fiance's next words. "Let's leave Jason alone, if he needs our advice he'll ask."

After a few minutes of silence, Brenda knew she'd pushed Jason too far... "So who did you send to pick up Emily and her friend?"

Still agitated, Jason stared at her before answering. "Francis."

With a lift of her brow, Brenda looked surprised. "Isn't it a little bit of an overkill sending out one of our best bodyguards?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Jason sighed. He hated having to explain his actions. Perhaps sending Francis was a little overboard. But Emily liked him, and seeing that they were in a new city, not knowing who was they're enemy, it made him feel better knowing that his sister was being protected by one of their best. "Emily knows him and I thought she'd feel more comfortable having him there when I couldn't."

"Well I can't wait to see her, it'll be nice having some female companions." A devilish glint shined in her eyes, one that defiantly wasn't missed by either one of her dinner partners.

"Brenda what ever you have planned the answer is no." Shaking his head, Sonny laughed at his fiance's dismayed expression. "I mean it hun, those two girls are still underage and I don't have the connections yet to get the three of you out of trouble."

Remembering the reports he'd received on Emily's little friend, Jason groaned. Visions of having to bail out three females made him rethink his sanity. What in the hell was he thinking when he invited his sister to Las Vegas? He should've just let her go to Florida with the rest of her college friends. If it weren't for Sonny and Brenda's wedding he wouldn't have even thought of allowing his sister to step foot into Las Vegas. But allowing her friend Liz to come? He knew he was going to regret that decision.

With a sharp look over at the man she agreed to love the rest of her life, Brenda had to control her annoyance. "So you're telling me that it's okay for you to have a Bachelor party, but I have to sit in our room like a good little woman?"

Knowing he needed to tread carefully, Sonny chose his words with precaution. "I told you if you wanted a bachelorette party you should've had one in Port Charles."

"Yeah right with my hoards of friends that I have there." A frown marred her pretty face, making Jason grunt. He knew that Brenda wasn't going to be able to persuade Sonny in relenting, but he also knew Brenda well enough that she'd never let Sonny live this down.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Wow." Standing in the doorway, her eyes wide in amazement, Liz silently wondered if Francis made a mistake. The view that greeted her when the large bodyguard opened the massive doors took her breath away. Never in her life had she seen anything so extravagant. From the sunken living room, with it's over stuffed creme couch, to the enormous window that looked down at the city that never sleeps. "The cost of this suite probably costs more than my college tuition."

"Try both of your tuitions." Francis joked from behind as he nudged her forward, making her leave her position in the doorway.

"This is really ours for an entire week?" Emily grinned as she hurried past Liz to inspect their new home.

Liz's purse slipped from her shoulder as she followed Emily from the living room, not missing the large entertainment center that almost took up an entire wall. If she thought that the living area was impressive the rooms blew her away. Large king sized beds, draped by cloud like comforters promised a good nights sleep. The adjoining baths looked like sets from some steamy Skinamax movie. Large walk in showers with at least a dozen shower heads made a showering seem almost sinful. A white Jacuzzi, large enough to fit the NY Yankees, sat in the corner.

"Now this is what I call a bathroom." Emily came up from behind, peeking over Liz's shoulder. "Is that a phone?" Brushing past her and heading to the bathroom counter, Liz laughed as Emily picked up the phone and looked at her in question. "In a bathroom?"

"Well at least it doesn't have a fax." Both girls jumped as Francis's voice came from behind. "I need to get going. Nick will be outside if you need anything."

Emily frowned at the thought of a guard she didn't know standing outside her door. "I thought you were guarding us for the week?"

"I am, but it's Sonny's bachelor party tonight." Without any other explanation, Francis headed to the door but stopped. "I called Jason and told him that you're here, he said there was a few things he had to do before he came up."

"Have fun." Emily's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Don't do anything that Liz wouldn't do."

With only a shake of his head, Francis let himself out.

"Well?" Turning to her friend, Liz rubbed her hands together. "What shall we do first?"

"Well the bath does look inviting but that shower is just calling my name." Liz couldn't help but laugh at Emily's expression. "How about I take the other room, you can have this one."

"Sounds like a plan. I think I'm going to unpack first." Both girls headed back to the living room where their bags were all neatly placed side by side. "So what does one wear while painting the City of Sin in red?" Emily laughed as Liz wiggled her brows.

"Well clothes would be a good start."

"Shut up." Narrowing her eyes in mock warning, Liz stuck out her tongue.

"You should wear that black outfit you bought the last time we went shopping in Denver." Dragging her bags toward her room, Emily looked over her shoulder. "You know that black suede top that ties behind your neck with the matching low rise bottoms."

"Oh yeah. You should wear your that peach bandanna top with your black leather pants." With a plan in place the two headed to their separate rooms.

"I still think that this is completely and totally unfair." Slamming the door of their suite open, Brenda threw her purse on the couch before turning to confront the caveman she agreed to chain herself to for the rest of her life. "You can't force me to stay a prisoner all night long."

"Come on Brenda." Sonny sighed as he scratched the side of his head. "You know the only way that Francis, Johnny and Max can come to the party is if one of the newer guys watches the door."

"So you're saying that it's safe to stay in here with some newbie on door patrol, but they're not good enough at their job to take me down to the casinos?" Crossing her arms over her chest, Brenda glared.

"No. What I'm saying is... Can't you just do this for me? One night that's all I'm asking."

"Fine. But can I at least go up and visit with Emily and her friend?"

"No." Wincing at her exasperated screech, Sonny prepared himself for the fit Brenda was most likely going to throw.

Her arms dropping to her side, both her hands balled up into fists. "Are you kidding me? Why not?"

"Because I know you Brenda and with what information I have on Emily's friend, I can only imagine the trouble the three of you could stir up." His dimples flashed. "I don't think any of the guys are trained good enough to handle that."

Opening her mouth a few times without any sound coming out, Brenda spun around and stalked to the bedroom, slamming the door hard enough to register on the Richter scale.

"Oh you think I'm going to be all Suzy homemaker, doing everything you command with a cheesy ass smile on my face." Grabbing a brush from the vanity, she ran it through her hair in a few rough yanks. Talking to the reflection in the mirror, Brenda narrowed her eyes in anger. "Well I guess you forgot that I'm my own person, and after tonight you'll never forget it."

Walking out of her bedroom towel drying her hair, Emily almost missed the person sitting on the couch. Dressed in one of the hotel's fluffy white bathrobes, she padded halfway into the room, letting out a startled yelp when she heard his greeting.

"Jason!" Dropping the towel, she flung herself into his arms, giving him a big kiss on the cheek. Stepping back, she made a face at him. "Thanks a lot for picking us up at the airport."

"Sorry about that. Something came up." Taking a close look at his sister, he couldn't help but feel proud of the young woman she had become. Perhaps Sonny was right, she wasn't a little kid anymore.

"Story of your life." With a wave of her hand to let him know that there were no hard feelings, she led him back to the couch. "Liz is in the shower."

His brows lowered a little, feeling a little uneasy about what he was going to have to say. "You two weren't planning on going out were you?"

"Well yeah. Seeing that we're in Las Vegas and it's our Spring Break."

Letting out a long sigh, Jason rubbed the back of his neck. "You can't go out tonight."

Emily sat staring at Jason, wondering if she heard him correctly. "You're joking right?"

"It's Sonny's bachelor party tonight, most of the guys are going and there's no one to guard you."

"What about Rick, no that's not it...Nick! Francis said that some guy was guarding us tonight." Watching Jason's jaw tense, Emily groaned. "Oh come on you've got to be kidding."

"Emily, there's a couple of families that aren't too thrilled that Sonny and I went in on this casino. I don't want you and your friend going out without Francis, Johnny or Max." Standing up, he refused to look at her, knowing that her big doe eyes would make him change his mind.

"So what are we supposed to do? Play Monopoly all night? Or perhaps sit around braiding each other's hair." Emily's sarcasm dripped from her words.

"I promise to make it up to you, both of you." Feeling as though he could look at her again, he turned around and knelled in front of her. "I know this isn't what you had planned, and I am sorry."

Emily calmed at his sincere words and guilty expression. Deep down she knew that he was just looking out for her safety. "You better make it up to us." Giving him a shaky smile to let him know that everything was fine between them, Emily leaned forward and hugged him again. "Even though you're a major downer sometimes, I really did miss you."

Before he could reply his cell phone rang. "Morgan... I'll be right down."

Giving her an apologetic look, Jason hugged her one last time. "I'll take the two of you to breakfast tomorrow morning. No phones, no meetings I promise."

"You better." Walking him to the door, she watched as Jason left. Muffled voices could be heard from the hallway. She didn't need to hear what was being said, knowing her brother like she did. He was probably threatening the poor guy to keep them safe.

"Are you ready to party?" Jumping at Liz's exuberance, Emily spun to where Liz was standing already dressed for a night on the town.

"Oh you are sooo going to hate me." With a wince, Emily prayed that Liz would understand.

Some of the excitement left Liz's features. "Nothing good ever comes after those words."

"Jason was just here."

"And?"

"Well 'something' has come up."

"Okay."

"Well this 'something' kind of has all the trusted guards tied up."

"Uh-huh."

"Liz I'm sorry but we can't go anywhere tonight." Emily rushed seeing that Liz's nerves were getting thin. "Jason really feels bad and said that he'd take us to breakfast."

"Oh now that sounds like a thrill. I heard that everyone comes to Vegas to have breakfast. The nightlife is just something to do while they wait to eat crepes." Grinding her teeth together, Liz wished that she had just a few seconds alone with Mr. Morgan so she could tell him how she felt about being told what to do, or what not to do.

"We could rent a movie." Having a brother who worked in the Mob, Emily had long ago learned to tolerate last minute changes. But she still empathized with Liz.

"Is your brother paying for the room?"

"Yeah why."

"Because I feel a movie marathon in my future. And I know there has to be a wet bar somewhere in here. OH! And room service is a must." Spinning on her heel, Liz stalked back to her room.

"Where are you going?"

"Well I'm going to have to change into something a little less tight. How am I going to eat all the food I'm going to order wearing these?"

Putting a hand over her mouth, Emily tried to control the laughter that almost threatened to spill out. She had never realized just how alike Liz and Brenda were. Jason had once said that it took a woman like Brenda to make a mob wife. Someone who was strong and never backed down. Though at times it could be irritating it was a trait that many admired.

If Jason thought that Liz was going to be some well-mannered, silent schoolgirl he was sadly mistaken.


	5. Chapter 5

The earsplitting noise of the casino made his head throb painfully, right behind his eyes. The pain intensifying with every piercing wail of some slot machine when a gambler struck it rich. There were too many people milling around, all packed in like sardines. Most of them drunk from complimentary drinks, talking too loud and generally acting like jackasses. It was like watching a group of Kindergarteners on crack.

There was no real way to describe how much Jason hated Las Vegas, had from the first time he'd been forced to come with Sonny a few years back. The lights were too bright, the people too fake. Making it seem as though he'd stumbled into some circus from hell.

He was still having problems understanding why Sonny had insisted on buying into the Casino's partnership. Sure his friend loved to gamble, who didn't? But they already owned a few Casinos in other parts of the world. Smaller, quieter and much classier ones. Places that didn't have him contemplating scratching his eyes out.

Unlike Sonny's other casinos, this place was too damn large and flashy. With it's six hundred plus rooms, three casinos, four restaurants, live shows, countless gift shops and boutiques. The employees that staffed this placed out numbered the shoes in Brenda's closet. Silent partners or not, they were out of their league.

But Sonny's eyes had gleamed like a three year old child on Christmas morning the first time he mentioned the idea of buying into the casino, making Jason feel like a heartless bastard every time he tried pointing out how unreasonable the business venture was. After months of Sonny's hounding he'd finally given in, and now he was stuck with a casino he hated in a town he despised.

Leaning back against the bar, clutching a bottle of Heineken in his left hand, Jason contemplated just how many sticks of dynamite it would take to turn this place into a pile of ruble. Perhaps not the most reasonable thing to think about, but with everything else going on in his life it sure as hell helped to sooth his raw nerves.

Instead of going out tonight to celebrate Sonny's upcoming nuptials, he wished he could be on the back of his bike, feeling the wind in his hair, and the tension fleeing his body. To be able to forget about the large white elephant he'd just gotten stuck with or the screaming shrew that awaited him back home in Port Charles. The only good thing in his life right now was Michael. With his trusting blue eyes and angel sweet smiles, Jason was thankful everyday to have the little boy in his life. Even when the price tag was his mother.

To have Michael in his life, Jason had to make several sacrifices. He had to endure his family's tirades of the injustice AJ had to suffer from losing his son. He had to face the fact that he would always be tied to Carly, whether he wanted to be or not. Living with a woman he could hardly stand, let alone touch. Not even a month after she and Michael had returned to his life, they had started to sleep in separate rooms.

Sonny and Brenda's wedding announcement only made things all that more bleak for him. Making him face the fact that he'd never be able to find that one woman to spend the rest of his life with. To never know how it would feel to come home to a woman that loved him, who cared about him more than she cared about what she was going to get out of the bargain.

But he had Michael and that meant more than anything in the world. He could live with the fact that he'd never be in love, or have a loving marriage. He was willing to give that up.

With a deep sigh Jason checked his watch and wished they had decided to meet at Sonny's suite instead of one of the casino's lounges. He'd already drank down four beers and was working on his fifth. If there was ever a time in his life that he needed to get stupid drunk, this was it. To be able to forget the stresses of his life, even for a few hours would be heaven.

"Ems, room service is here." Opening the door wider to allow the attendant to push the encumbered cart into the room, Liz's eyes gleamed with mischief as she envisioned Emily's older brother's face when he saw the bill. He deserved it for making them prisoners for the night, their first official night of Spring Break. How Emily was able to calmly except her brother's word as law rubbed Liz's inner rebel the wrong way.

"Oh my God Jason is going to kill us." Standing frozen in the doorway to her bedroom, Emily stared at the cart in gross disbelief. "There's no way we can eat all that."

With a careless shrug of her shoulders, Liz signed the slip of paper the amused server handed her. "No, but won't it be fun trying? So what do you think is an adequate tip?" Tilting her head and looking at the gawking young man in front of her, Liz grinned. "I mean it must have been a strain to push such a heavy cart." With a graceful swirl of the pen, Liz handed the man the slip back. Grinning ear to ear at the overly gracious gratuity the server nearly tripped over his own feet when he turned to go.

"I don't even want to know how much you just gave that guy for a tip, do I?" Leaving the spot she'd been stuck to, Emily crossed the living room to inspect the food that was carefully kept under silver lids.

"Probably not." Crying out in glee, Liz grabbed the large Porterhouse that she had ordered for herself, medium-rare, with a baked potato and steamed veggie medley. Carrying her plate over to the large couch, she sat back, sitting the warm plate on her lap. "Now remember not to get too full, there's a few other entries on the cart we need to try. Not to mention the five different cheesecakes, the tiramisu and a few chocolaty ooey gooey desserts."

Shaking her head and grabbing the Chicken Marcela, Emily joined Liz. "You know Jason is only trying to keep us safe."

Shoving a piece of juicy meat into her mouth, Liz groaned in ecstasy. "Keep us safe from what? The big evil slot machines?"

Tying not to laugh at her brother's expense, Emily knew that Liz still really couldn't grasp how dangerous Jason's life was. "No I think he's more concerned about the guys toting the black shiny things called guns."

Liz's fork paused half way to her mouth. "Guns?"

"Liz I know that all of this all sounds like it's made for TV. But you need to know that Jason really does have our safety in mind."

"Lets not talk about your brother." In her usual Liz fashion she tried to push aside the negative and concentrate on the good. "There's no school for two weeks, no tests to cram for. We have a huge and beautiful suite all to ourselves. Lots of food, and a wet bar just screaming our name. I say we finally start this vacation."

"I still can't believe you won't let me leave the room tonight." Brenda grumbled as she wiped away a non-existent piece of lint off Sonny's burgundy silk shirt. What she really wanted to do was wrap her fingers around his neck in frustration. She had been positive she would've been able to at least convince him to let her go down to Emily's suite so she wouldn't have to be alone. But no. Mr. I-Have-To-Have-My-Own-Way wouldn't hear of it. So in the end it was his fault that he was going to make her have to be sneaky.

It had taken her over an hour to calm down after his first refusal to let her go out for the night. Another twenty minutes before she knew just exactly what she was going to do if her pleading for freedom didn't work. It was time that Sonny Corinthos remembered that she wasn't like all the other women he'd ever been with. Silently going along with his orders. That she was much stronger than that, and wouldn't change just because he was putting a ring on her finger.

Letting him wrap his arms around her slender waist, Brenda watched as he tried to pacify her with one of his trademark-dimpled grins. Though his dimples were sexy as hell and always had a way to make her heart skip a beat, she had learned long ago to tame her out of control hormones when he started to flash his cheeky weapons.

"You know that we still don't know who to trust here. What's wrong with wanting the love of my life safe?"

Pulling out of his arms and taking a step back, Brenda tried to ignore the fact that he was wearing her favorite cologne. Or that he had that hungry look in his eyes. No she had to remember that he was getting ready to go out with the guys, for a night of debauchery. Expecting her to stay in and be the good little girl.

Apparently Sonny hadn't been taking notes. Never in her life had she been known to be the quite little meek female that say her man's words as law. Nor had she ever been accused of being a good little girl. How people usually described her was reckless and carefree. Doing what she wanted when she wanted. Marriage or not, she wasn't going to be tamed.

"There's a difference between safe and insanely overprotective and you know it. Just because Jason locked those two poor girls up for the night doesn't mean that you should do the same to me. I'm a grown woman damnit!" Stomping her foot in aggravation, Brenda knew deep down this wasn't the way to handle Sonny when he got into his super protector modes.

With a chuckle that only fueled her fires, Sonny rested his palm on the side of her cheek. "What Jason does is his business. But I can't say that I don't agree with his decision."

"Fine."

Tilting his head to the side, Sonny studied her for a moment. "You're going to drop this just like that? What are you up to Brenda?"

"Nothing." With a sweet smile plastered on her lips, Brenda closed the gap between them and brought her lips to his. "I'm tired of fighting about this. It won't kill me to turn in a little early tonight."

A knock at the door made Sonny sigh. Giving her one last intense look, he kissed her one more time before heading to the door.

Watching him leave, Brenda hurried to the phone. The innocent look in her eyes gone.

Dialing the room number she needed she only had to wait for two rings. "Emily? It's me. You and Liz have twenty minutes to be ready. I'm busting you out."

After a few rounds at the casino lounge, the bachelor party moved onto Studio 54. Through his many phone calls early that afternoon, the security staff met Sonny and Jason's limo out back, allowing the group of intimidating men in through the back doors.

After Jason made a quick round of the bar and was satisfied that everything was up to his inspection, he joined the other guys who were well into the night's festivities. Surprising enough, he found it easy to join into the easy banter and crude jokes. It had been a long time since he'd been able to relax enough to actually enjoy himself.

Sitting back comfortably in his chair, Jason watched in amusement as each one of the guys stood to toast Sonny on his upcoming marriage. None of them able to stand still on their two feet to save their lives. All slurring their congratulations.

Francis struggled to his feet; a lopped-sided grin plastered to his face as he held another shot in the air. "I guess it's my turn." He cleared his throat. "Here's to Sonny. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Yet another of us who've been captured and tagged." A round of laughter erupted around the table as everyone looked over at a blushing Max who had just married the love of his life just months before.

Holding up his hands to stop the ribbing words and flippant remarks, Francis grew serious. "Sonny you've been like a brother to me. Taking me in when I thought my life wouldn't amount to anything but peddling stolen goods in the alleys of Brooklyn. You taught me about respect, not only for people around me but for myself. I would gladly give my life for you any day and that now goes for Brenda as well."

"Here, here!" Clinking their glasses together in the center of the table. The five men gulped down the fiery liquid in one gulp.

Wiping his hands on his pant legs, Jason grabbed the next shot and got to his feet. Looking down at his friend their eyes met, and Jason knew that with that one look, he could sit back down again and Sonny would know exactly how he felt.

"As you all know I'm not really one for words." Everyone nodded in agreement, huge smiles on their faces. "I owe you more than my life Sonny. What you have done for me I could never pay you back in one single gesture. You found me when I barely knew who I was, or what I wanted. Offering me a life that was my own. You've always had my back, and I don't even have the words to express what that has meant to me. You're more than a mentor or a friend, you're my family."

Sonny touched his glass to Jason's, and with a nod in his direction drank his shot. Both friends remained silent for a moment, remembering all the good and the bad they'd been through together that had gotten them to this point.

Liz looked at the clock for the third time in the last five minutes. Her palms were sweaty and her heart beat hard against her ribcage. Emily's jumpiness didn't help matters. Every time there was a noise from the other side of the door she'd start to fidget, her eyes glued to the double doors that led to freedom.

"She's late." Emily grumbled.

"How's she going to get around our guard?" Playing with the bracelet around her slender wrist, Liz couldn't tell if her anxiousness was from excitement or foreboding that only bad would come from leaving.

Shrugging her shoulders as though it were of no real consequence, Emily tucked a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "If I know Brenda she'll send them on some wild goose chase."

A knock sounded at the door, and Emily nearly tripped on the steps from the living room up to the landing to open it. "Brenda!" Emily squealed in delight.

Liz joined Emily at the door, and the woman that was now hugging Emily tightly to her in a big hug nearly took Liz's breath away. Brenda Barrette, soon to be Corinthos was the most vibrant and beautiful woman Liz had ever seen. It was just the woman's looks that made her so pretty, but the way she literally glowed with life.

Letting her arms drop from around Emily, Brenda took each girls hand and pulled them out of the room. "We don't have much time. Apparently Sonny warned my jailor of my ability to ditch my guards and was pretty hard to fool. Good thing your guard wasn't as smart."

Liz barely had time to close the door to their suite shut before Brenda started to drag them down the hall in the opposite direction than the elevator. "But boys being what they are, are always easily fooled by the damsel in distress act."

Liz and Emily's eyes met in excitement as Brenda continued to talk. Soon they were at a door labeled stairway. "So I nearly had to threaten the guy Sonny stuck me with, but I tell you let the tears gather and a male turns to mush."

"What did you tell him?" Liz couldn't help but let Brenda's enthusiasm engulf her.

Brenda paused and smiled brightly. "Oh some story about needing to buy Sonny a gift for our wedding and this was the only time I could without him breathing down my neck."

Emily hid a smile behind her hand. "So when we got to this cute little boutique on the fourth floor I had him wait for me outside one of the entrances and left through the other.." Hurrying down the steps, Brenda paused for a moment to catch her breath. "Once I was free of ogre number one, I had to get rid of yours. I did what any other conniving female would."

"You lied." Liz finished her sentence for her, both females sharing a bonding smile.

With an impish grin, Brenda said. "I knew I'd like you. I called him up on my cell phone and told him that I'd lost my guard and thought someone was following me."

Emily lost her smile within seconds. "Brenda when he can't find you he'll just call Jason and tell him that you're missing."

Clapping her hands together and laughing out loud, Brenda shook her head. "Nope. Cause after a few minutes I then called my guard and told him that I hadn't felt well and went up to my room."

"You are evil." Liz joined Brenda's laughter.

"So what first?" The tension left Emily's face.

"The night is young and so are we." Brenda skipped down the steps again, as Liz and Emily followed closely behind.

"So what do you think the girls are doing?" Johnny asked, barely able to keep his head up. They were back in the limo heading to their next stop.

"They better be all tucked soundly in their beds." Sonny mumbled, even though his gut instinct told him that the pretty little birds were probably already on the lose. He wasn't stupid, he knew Brenda well enough to know that the second she stopped fighting him to leave that she was up to something. But being who he was, and able to read people so well he'd told her guard to keep a close eye on his fiance, more importantly keep her limited to the casino for the night.

"From what I heard Emily and her friend are running Jason's tab through the roof. Good thing you took the key to their wet bar or you're going to have two very sick girls on your hands tomorrow." Stretching out his legs, Johnny missed the puzzled look in Jason's eyes.

"Oh crap don't tell me that you left them around a fully stocked and very available bar?" Max read Jason's look like an open book and bent over laughing at Jason.

"Well two hung over girls is a lot better than letting those two out on the town." Francis grinned. "Cause I'm telling you, if I were a couple years younger..." Shaking his head and letting his thoughts wander, Francis was snapped out of it by Jason's snarl.

"What do you mean if you were a couple years younger? I'm telling you this right now, you ever touch my sister people will be finding pieces of you for years." The countless beers and god only knew how many shots had Jason seeing red at the mention of his sister.

"Whoa down boy. I was talking about Emily's friend Miss Webber. The girl is a walking Goddess." Holding up his hands in defense, Francis waited until Jason sat back to relax some.

"That good looking huh? What she look like?" Max ignored Sonny's painful groan. "Max let it drop."

"She's a little shorter then Emily, but you'd never know it with the way her legs go on forever." Whistling under his breath, Francis face drained of color when Jason's eyes narrowed in on him. "I mean she's all right for a kid."

Sticking two fingers in his mouth, Sonny whistled loudly to get everyone's attention. "Okay enough talk about Jason's banes for the week. This is my party and I say we get back to business."

"I can't believe we just did that!" Liz's eyes danced in exhilaration as she slanted her head back to look up the enormous rock-climbing wall they'd just climbed. At first she had thought Brenda was a little nutty when she suggested they first stop by the Coca-Cola factory. But once they had gotten there and had followed Brenda to the climbing area, Liz was ready to announce Brenda her queen. "I was born and raised in the Rockies and have never done anything like that."

"A girl after my own heart. I can't thank the two of you enough for coming out with me tonight." Looping an arm through each of the other girl's, Brenda pulled them along out of the front doors and out onto the busy sidewalk.

"Are you kidding? Without a question, this beats Ft. Lauderdale any day." Emily's face was flushed from excitement, and the few drinks they had already consumed, letting Brenda lead them to where ever she pleased. "Though I guess I'll have to wait until next year to get my bellybutton pierced."

Liz made a face. "I still can't believe you're willing to let someone stab you in your stomach."

"You're overreacting again." Emily rolled her eyes. "It's more of a prick. Some of us aren't such softies."

"Why do you have to wait until next year?" Clearly not understanding why Emily would wait, the wheels in Brenda's head were already turning.

"It'd be a souvenir of sorts. Plus Jason made it clear that he didn't want any added holes to our bodies while we were out here."

"Yeah well Jason can be as much fun as a wet sock sometimes. For a man who says that he doesn't tell others how to live he sure does do a lot of it." Brenda wrinkled her nose in disdain. "What that man needs is a good woman. One that doesn't have a few screws lose upstairs if you know what I mean."

"You aren't kidding. My brother is way too good for Carly."

"Why wait?" Brenda stopped and halted Liz and Emily in their tracks.

"For what?" Thoroughly confused as to where the conversation was going, Emily and Liz looked at one another then back at Brenda.

"You want your bellybutton pierced then why wait. I'm sure there's several places here to get it done."

Emily hesitated for only a second. "Let's do it."

A tattoo shop, belly piercing and a few bars later the three girls stumbled back into the casino. Giggling and hanging onto one another for support. True to her word, Emily was the proud owner of a belly ring, Brenda not wanting to be out done decided on a tattoo so that she also had something to remember the night. Both teased Liz's queasy stomach and lack of nerves, but the tiny brunette wouldn't budge.

"We've been in Las Vegas for..." Looking down at her bare wrist, Liz giggled at her mistake and brought her other wrist in front of her face. Squinting her eyes she concentrated on the tiny hour hand. "Six hours and we still haven't gambled."

"Well there's no time like the present." Pushing her hair out of her face, Brenda teetered to the left almost toppling over before she was able to straighten herself again.

Heading off to the right they followed the sound of the slots, but before they reached the entrance Emily's hand flew to her mouth. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Oh god not again." Liz moved away from Emily in a hurry as flashbacks of rush week filled her head. She still had nightmares of her favorite white sweater and Purpleduka.

"Let's get her upstairs." Her head clearing slightly Brenda put her arm around Emily's waist.

"No, I don't want to be the one to ruin this night. I can go up, you two stay." Emily said through deep breaths.

"Right, we're just going to let you go upstairs by yourself so you can be alone while you're puking your guts up." Rolling her eyes Liz went to Emily's other side.

"I swear on your ugly green platforms that if you cut this night short because of me you will never see your precious shoes again." Her stomach lurched, but Emily fought for control as she tried to bring her eyes up to meet Liz's.

"Emily you're more important to me than my pretty green shoes."

"I mean it Liz, stay. You gave up college studs and beach parties for guards and quarantine. I don't know when we'll be able to get out next, and I want you to have at least this one night." Putting on her resolve face, the one that Liz knew all to well.

"What kind of friend would I be to leave you alone?" Liz knew that she was going to lose the argument because of Emily's stubbornness.

"One that was doing what I asked her to do. Brenda can help me up stairs and then come back down. I promise I'll be fine after a quick trip to the porcelain god."

"Are you sure?" Not sure what to do, Liz watched as Emily tried to nod her head. If she was right and this was the only night they'd be able to go out and be free of her brother's rules and watchful eyes she didn't want to waste it. But on the other hand Emily meant more to her than a few slot machines.

"Positive."

"I'll take her upstairs and meet you at the lounge over there." Brenda gathered Emily's hair and pulled it back from her damp face. "She'll be fine. Nick will feel so bad about being duped that he'll help her." Remembering the young guard Liz had a moment of pity. The poor guy was just doing his job, and now if it was found out that they had gotten out... "Liz?"

"Yeah lounge." Before turning around in the direction Brenda had pointed to, Liz looked again at her poor sick friend. "Are you absolutely, positively sure Ems?"

"Yes." Emily answered weakly as Brenda led her to the elevators.

If the trio of females that had just walked though the lobby looked intoxicated, they didn't compare to the five males that followed some twenty minutes later. All looked thoroughly toasted, their hair mussed, shirts untucked.

"I don't know about the rest of you but I'm turning in." Sonny yawned into his hand. "Even if I'm a little scared to find out what Brenda's been up to since I left."

"I'm gonna go up too." Jason started to head for the elevators when something caught his eye. It was more of a someone than thing, and Jason didn't realize that he was blocking the path to the elevators until Max bumped into him from behind.

"Did you forget how to use your legs?" Max joked as he turned to look at what had caught Jason's attention. "Damn now that's what I call a woman. What do you say we go grab ourselves a beer?" Not waiting for Jason's reply Max started to head over to the lounge where the young brunette was already ordering a drink. Calling out a quick goodnight to the other guys, it didn't take Jason much longer to reroute his feet to follow Max,

Walking up to the bar he ordered another beer he dearly didn't need, but stood back and watched as the woman smiled sweetly at the bartender. His eyes locked on hers the second she looked in his direction and he felt the bottom of his stomach drop.

There was one thing that Liz Webber hated more than anything, and it was waking up with a head-splitting-tummy-turning-please-dear-Lord-kill-me-now hangover. And the second she started to slip from her coma like sleep, Liz knew she was in store for one humdinger of a hangover.

Her mouth felt as though someone had shoved handful of cotton balls into it, that had been fermenting in the CU football teams cleats. The echo of slot machines drummed in her head, making her squeeze her eyes tightly in pain. Never in all her life had she felt this bad, where she was positive that any moment her brain was going to liquefy and start oozing out her ears.

But unlike any other time it felt as though some giant Redwood was lying across her legs, pinning her to the bed. Opening her right eye slowly to test her pain threshold, Liz nearly passed out in horror.

"#$!" The word was little more than a whisper, but the way it bounced around her head like a racquetball made her stomach roll.

Not only was this not her room, or her bed, there was a man, a naked one lying dead asleep next to her. His leg slung over her legs, of her nude body. "Oh please no. Bad Liz, bad, bad, bad."


	6. Chapter 6

In her life Liz could honestly say she had pulled some seriously stupid and impulsive stunts. Had found herself in situations that had her seriously wondering about her mental state. But waking up naked, in bed with a strange man that was just as equally as naked was hands down her dumbest move.

Looking down in horror at the man silently asleep next to her. A panic attack the size of the Grand Canyon started to bubble inside her chest, causing her to gasp for air with out a sound. This could not be happening to her. She didn't do things like this. Sure she was wild and sometimes just a tad out of control. But waking up with an unfamiliar person, after a night of over indulgence just wasn't in her character.

She needed a plan, a good plan that would get her out from under the guy's leg and safely out the door. Preferably without waking him.

Clutching the white sheet to her chest, she silently started to wiggle out from under the restraining leg that held her captive. Twisting to the left and then to the right, Liz had been able to inch up about three centimeters when the man moaned, shifted and then threw an arm across her, right under her breasts.

"No." Her voice barely a whisper, Liz held her breath until the man slipped back to asleep again. Once she heard his soft snores Liz renewed her efforts with a little more determination.

Her headache gone and her stomachache a past memory, Liz concentrated on pealing herself out from beneath the man's limbs. Holding the sheet in a death grip against her chest, she slid back about an inch, paused to make sure she didn't disturb sleeping beauty and then tried to scoot back again.

Just when freedom was in sight, Liz felt the bed dip as the stranger lying next to her moved. Not needing to look down she absolutely knew he was awake, she could feel the change in the atmosphere the moment he came to. His stare practically bore two identical holes into her. Causing a blush to snake it's way up from her neck to make a permanent residence in her cheeks. What she hadn't been prepared for was his reaction.

One moment she was clinging to the sheet like a lifeline, trapped under him as she tried wholeheartedly to sneak her way out of bed. Next thing she knew his leg jerked off her, pitching her sideways over the side of the bed to land in an ungraceful heap on the floor. The abrupt landing knocked the air from her lungs and apt pretty little stars in front of her eyes. Her only saving grace at that moment was the sheet she had been able to bring along with her.

"Are you okay?" Though his voice sounded like warm honey, it caused her body to stiffen as she tired to process his words. Was she okay? Nooo. She was lying on the floor after trying to wiggle free from under him. Hoping in vain that he wouldn't wake up while she gathered her clothes and by some miracle managed to sneak out of the hotel room undetected.

"Did you get hurt?" Looking over the side of the bed, Jason watched as the young woman's face turned a brilliant shade of red, her seductively shaped mouth opened and closed a few times before she snapped it shut. Even though she hadn't said a word, her eyes said it all. She was mortified.

After a few minutes of waiting for her to find her voice, Jason frowned. "Did you hit your head?"

"My head?" God she wished she had hit her head hard enough to put her in a week long coma. "Try my pride, followed shortly by my ego." Without thinking she tried rising to her feet, only to have the sheet get twisted up in her legs almost causing her to stumble forward, face first back onto the ground. Could the day get any better? "I can't believe that I...that you...that..." Sucking in a deep breath, Liz closed her eyes as her world started to spin out of control.

This was too much. What did one say after a night of...sex? Oh hi! My name is Liz, it's nice to meet you. What a pretty room you've got here. I'm sure you won't believe this when I say it, but I'm not a slut, really. But I'm sure you hear that all the time. Was there any real right thing to say to your one nightstand the next morning? Etiquette that she didn't know about. Perhaps the next time she was at Barnes and Nobles she'd check out the One Nightstand's for Dummies book, get a few pointers. Not that she ever planned on this happening again. She'd check herself into the nearest convent before she let something this humiliating to occur again.

Starting to search the room for her clothes, Liz's eyes rested on the clock sitting on the bed stand. Ten o'clock. She was a dead woman. They were supposed to go to breakfast that morning with Emily's older brother. Without a doubt he knew by now that she hadn't been safely tucked away in her bed. He and his army of overly muscled monkeys in suites were probably hunting her down at this very moment.

"I can't even start to tell you how much trouble I am in." Liz clutched the sheet to her chest with one hand, as she combed her chestnut curls out of her face with the other. "Because I can honestly say that I have never messed up this badly before."

A sinking sensation the size of the Titanic gripped Jason's stomach. It would be his luck to have had a one-night stand with a married woman. It wasn't like he made it a habit to drink himself stupid, and wake up the next morning lying next to some complete stranger.

"Are you married?"

Her eyes shot to his, wide with surprise. "No! I'd never...I've never...No." Shaking her head vehemently, her wild curls bobbing back and forth.

Slightly relieved to hear that he hadn't gone to bed with a married woman, Jason had to know one last thing. "Engaged?"

"No. I'm not married, nor am I planning on being married for a very long time...if ever. And before you ask I don't have a boyfriend." Some of her embarrassment faded as she glared over at him from across the room. "Are these common questions you ask the woman you wake up with?" Spotting one of her boots lying on the floor near the bed she scrambled over to pick it up.

Deciding not to answer her question, he watched as she scurried around the room. Picking up one piece of clothing after another. Actually it wasn't his habit to wake up next to a strange woman. Well except that one time and look where it got him.

"One week, seven measly days. That's it." Talking more to herself, she started to look around the room for her missing clothes. Her arms flying as she talked, Liz kept talking. "Could I stay out of trouble? Nooo."

Watching as she stalked around the room, Jason couldn't help the slight pull of his lips at her dramatic tirade. "I swear I can't seem to do anything right. All that we had to do was eat some food, watch some TV for just one night. Like that would've been such a heartbreak."

Spinning on her heel she stood in the center of his room looking over at him. Her chest heaving heavily against the sheet. "Do you know he even went as far as placing a guard at our door?" Her ranting paused for a moment, making him realize that she was looking at him to answer.

Blinking a few times he hated to admit that he had been paying more attention to the cute when she was stomping around the room than to what she had just said. Feeling like an ass, Jason gave a slight nod.

"A guard. It's like that ogre knew we were going to get into trouble." Knowing full well that her runaway mouth was pure product of nervousness, Liz couldn't seem to shut it. No matter how many times her brain told her to shut up she just couldn't seem to follow that one easy command. It didn't matter that she probably didn't make much sense to the man sitting on the bed, clearly speechless. Talking always helped her to relieve anxiety and the way she felt now she was going to have to talk for weeks before she started feeling normal again.

Having a feeling that he had just missed something important, Jason gathered the comforter around his hips before getting up from the bed. The slight amusement he'd been feeling a moment ago vanished. "What guard?"

It was like she hadn't even heard him. She kept talking to herself as she grabbed her black lace bra that was slung over a lampshade. "I'd be surprised if he didn't pack my bags himself and send me back to Colorado."

Feeling as though a thousand-pound weight had been dropped on his chest, Jason pinched the bridge of his nose. Guard? Colorado?

"That is if they ever find my body. God I have the worst luck. His rules were simple. We were to keep our clothing on at all times." Holding up her hand she started to count the rules. "Well we both know that I put one hundred percent effort into screwing that one up. No getting arrested for indecent exposure. No tattoos, no piercing and absolutely no... um no..." Scrunching her nose she looked off into space trying to come up with the last rule. The rules that sounded too hauntingly familiar to Jason.

"No getting married." He muttered under his breath, as he felt slightly nauseous.

Almost having forgotten that she wasn't alone in the room, Liz's cheeks turned pink. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Clearly seeing her doubt, he was immensely relieved to watch her hurry to the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind her. Leaving Jason alone, feeling absolutely disgusted with himself. He had a sickening feeling that he had just had the pleasure of meeting one Elizabeth Webber.

How in the hell did she get out of her room last night? Worse yet how did she end up in his?

Crap!

This was the last thing he needed right now. He knew he should've said no to Emily when she had asked to bring her roommate along. Two college-aged girls in Las Vegas were trouble just waiting to happen. But like always he gave into Emily's not so gentle pleading.

Now he was in one hell of a mess. God his life just kept getting better and better. Tilting his head and squeezing his eyes shut, Jason forced himself to take deep breaths. No matter how he tried to push away that irritating voice in the back of his head, the one that was calling him all kinds of a jackass, he couldn't seem to make it shut up. Realistically he knew what was done was done, there was no going back and undoing it now. But damn did it have to be his little sister's best friend?

A moment later she inched her way out of the bathroom, clearly unable to meet his gaze. "I know that this is going to sound really bad...but what hotel are we in?" Watching her wring her hands together, Jason almost felt bad for her.

"The South Pacific." Still gripping the comforter around his bare hips, Jason watched as she gave a short nod and hurried for the door.

"I think we should talk about this." Not really wanting to, Jason knew that he couldn't let this go, it would only be worse for her latter.

She had already made it to the door, her hand just inches from the knob. "If you don't mind I'd like to forget this ever happened."

Slightly taken aback by her brutally honest words, Jason was ready to tell her how much he did mind, instead he watched in shock as she slipped out the door without another word. With a curse he crossed the room to swing the door open, just in time to see her step onto the elevator and the doors close behind her.

Irritated as hell, Jason slammed the door shut. Stalking over to his dresser to grab some clothing, Jason stopped, his hand hanging in midair. His palms grew sweaty, as his head started to pound right behind his eyes. Blinking once, twice, three times just to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Jason looked down at the piece of paper that was lying on the top of his dresser.

Funny how one little piece of paper, with five signatures, and a stamp could screw with ones life so completely. Letting his hand drop to his side, Jason stood there for several minutes wishing the paper away. His eyes reading and rereading the words. Never once did they change.

He was a married man and one Elizabeth Imogene Webber now Morgan was in for a rude awakening.


	7. Chapter 7

Instead of majoring in art, Liz wondered if perhaps it would have been in her best interest to have studied psychology. Then perhaps that way she would've been able to analyze herself to pinpoint the exact moment she had lost her ever-lasting mind. What in the heck had she been thinking? Clearly by the way her head and stomach felt, she hadn't been.

Him. That's how she was forever going to be able to refer to the man who had been her first. For twenty years she had held out, been able to restrain herself for that one man who would come into her world and shake her to her very core. Perhaps she had been silly expecting some story book romance, but it was her dream and darn it she had deserved that much after all the frogs she had to kiss and blind dates that had made her skin crawl. But now her dream had become a nightmare, one that she was completely responsible for. One night had ruined it all. So now her first would always be known as him.

How in the world was she going to be able to face Emily? She was the one person who had always understood her. From the moment she had met her best friend at freshman orientation she had felt a bond to the other brunette. No matter how badly she wanted to forget last night and pretend that it never happened there was no way she could keep something this huge away from Emily. But how was she going to react?

Worse yet, how was the guard stationed outside their suite going to react? He probably thought she was all snuggled in her own bed. Which meant that Emily's older brother was going to find out, who would probably blow a gasket and demand that she go home. Then Emily would be in trouble, and then Sonny would find out, which would get Brenda in hot water. All away around this morning should be one great treat after another. And it was all her fault.

The elevator came to a halt, making her take a deep breath before having to walk to her own execution. But when the door slid open, she nearly had to rub at her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things. The guard was soundly asleep, snoring softly in a chair stationed to the right of her door. It was all the proof Liz needed to know that there was a God.

Slipping her hand into her back pocket, she pulled the flat plastic card that served as her room key out and tip toed towards the door. Holding her breath the entire way, her eyes glued to the sleeping man, she only prayed that her luck held out.

The loud click of the lock release bounced off the walls, making Liz jump. But the guard kept snoring softly. Turning the handle as quietly as she could she only opened the door enough so she could squeeze through.

"Liz?" Emily's voice sounded like a cannon through Liz's head as she came to a screeching halt on her way to her bedroom.

Taking a deep breath and sending up a prayer to the heavens, she pivoted on her heel and returned to the living room where Emily was lying face down on the couch.

"Yeah?" Please don't ask me where I've been...Please oh please oh please.

"Did you back over my head with a car last night?" Emily's pitiful voice came out from under the pillow she had securely over her face.

Having to repeat the question to herself a few times, Liz scrunched her face and shook her head. "What?"

"My head feels like a squished grape." Shifting to the right, Emily eased herself off the couch and onto the floor. "And I kept dreaming last night that a little green martian kept gabbing my in the bellybutton with an ice pick."

"Martians?" Blinking a few times, Liz's brows scrunched together as she tried to make sense of her friend's words.

"Never mind." Her head lowered, Emily struggled to her hands and knees. "I have to figure out how I'm going to make it to my bathroom and get ready to have breakfast with Jason. Do you think he'd notice anything unusual if I crawled into the dinning room?"

A small smile flickered cross Liz's lips. Leave it to Emily to give her something to smile about. "I don't know...Is Jason blind?"

"No." With a loud groan, Emily used the couch to hoist herself up.

"Cataracts?" Joining her friend's side, Liz wrapped her arm around Emily's waist and helped her into a standing position.

"Nope."

"Any vision problems at all?"

"Perfect 20/20." Emily winced and brought a hand up to her head. "Face it I'm so screwed. Jason is never going to believe that I got this wasted on the piddly amount of alcohol in the wet bar here."

"I'm sure after a hot shower you'll feel as good as new." The words sounded hollow even to her own ears.

"Right, I'm holding you to that Webber." Tripping up the steps that led from the living room to her bedroom door, Emily paled slightly, putting a hand to her stomach. "You better get ready too. My brother will probably be here any minute."

With a weak nod, Liz waited until Emily closed the bathroom door behind her and headed for her own bedroom to get ready. It didn't sit well with her that she hadn't told Emily about what had happened. From the first day they had met there had been an instant bond. It had almost been like they had met their other half.

But then again she'd never done anything like this before either. Waking up next to a complete stranger was new territory for her. Liz knew that she most defiantly wasn't the first person to find themselves in such a situation, and wouldn't be the last. It just never occurred to her that she'd become one of those people.

The day was off to a roaring start. If it got any better he'd have to shoot himself in the foot. Put aside the fact that his head hurt like hell, or that his mouth tasted like he'd licked the dumpsters out back of Jake's bar clean with his tongue, he felt like the world's lowest scum for sleeping with his baby sisters best friend.

Elizabeth Webber wasn't even the legal age to drink, but apparently she had been old enough to get hitched. After a few calls, his day got worse when it was verified that not only was the marriage legal, but the paper work already filed with the city.

Stepping out of the elevator he eyed the guard who was shifting nervously under his heated glare. "Did she get back in?" Nick gulped and gave a short nod. "And she thought you were asleep?"

"Yes sir."

"This won't happen again do you understand me?" His hands itched to wrap themselves around the new guard's neck and strangle the last bit of air out of his body. "When I tell you to do something I mean it. Do we understand one another here?"

Nick paled his legs shook. "Yes sir."

"One last thing, this is between you and me right now." Needing to put some distance between himself and one of his new employees, Jason reached for the door and entered without warning. He needed to get this over with as soon as possible. She may not want to talk about what happened between them, but unfortunately they didn't have that choice.

"I'm almost ready." Sticking her head out of her bedroom door, Emily flashed a painful smile at her brother.

"Sonny and Brenda are already waiting for us in his private dinning room." His eyes roamed around the room, looking for some sign of Elizabeth.

"Let me see if Liz is ready yet." He noticed that his little sister was unable to look him in the eye, and he wanted to call her on it. But that could wait until after he had a moment to talk to Elizabeth first.

It felt like an eternity later when Emily returned and Jason paused, looking over his sisters shoulder for a glimpse of the young woman who had dashed out of his bedroom that morning. "She's not ready yet and said she'd meet us there."

"We can wait." Shrugging his shoulder's Jason kept his face impassive. What he really wanted to do was walk past his sister into Elizabeth's room and corner her there.

"Are you sure? Liz is known for her hour-long showers, and I'd hate to keep Brenda and Sonny waiting."

Looking at his watch, Jason let out a deep breath. It was getting late and Sonny had mentioned something about a meeting with their new partners. "Fine I'll send Francis down to escort her up."

Emily looked at him strangely. "What about Nick?"

"I don't trust Nick enough to follow my orders." Giving his sister a knowing look, he was slightly satisfied by the blush that stained her cheeks. "From now on Francis is in charge of the two of you and if he's busy then either Max or Johnny."

Looking more at his feet, than at his face, Emily gave a nod of understanding. They'd been busted, Jason knew and wasn't too happy about not being listened to.

"Let me go and tell Liz to join us when she's ready."


	8. Chapter 8

By the time Liz was dressed and ready to go, she had made a vow to herself to put the self-pity behind and face things like an adult. No amount of crying or feeling sorry for herself was going to erase what had happened the night before. She needed to find that stubborn brat she admired so much in herself, and put the little demon to work. Just because she had slept with some stranger didn't make her a bad person, or even a slut. It happened, and now she needed to let it go.

Taking a deep breath, checking her reflection one last time, she grabbed her purse and headed for the bedroom door. Her head held high, her back straight. She was Elizabeth Imogene Webber damnit! The youngest child who had survived eighteen years of pure hell in the Webber household. It took a strong person, with a will of steel, to make it out of that house and not need psychiatric care. The best part she had done it on her own. Unlike her two siblings who did what they were told, went to the colleges that had been picked out for them from the time they had been embryos.

Destined to walk to her own beat, doing things her own way whether it was backwards or not, she knew who she was. At twenty that was a huge accomplishment. She hadn't swayed when she had diplomatically announced in front of her father's colleagues that she had no plans on following the Webber tradition and go into the medical field. Even when her father practically disowned her there and then, vowing that she'd regret her foolishness. Instead she looked him sadly in the eye and accepted his decision. Telling him that no matter how much she loved him and the rest of the family, it was her life, and she wasn't living it for anyone else.

And she hadn't. Perhaps her hardheaded, stubborn and passionate ways had gotten her into more messes than she could count. But everyday she was able to wake up and look at herself in the mirror, knowing that it was her life, her decisions, her messes. Last night was just another bump in the road, one that she'd never again repeat. Something she would learn from.

Her head clear and spirit lifted Liz smoothed the wrinkles out of her simple black dress she had carelessly packed. Wishing for the tenth time that she had seen what Emily had been wearing. Was the black dress too much? Perhaps she should change into something a little more casual?

"Miss Mm-Webber?" A low male voice came from the other side of her bedroom door, ceasing her clothing debate. Giving her make-up and hair one last look, Liz headed to the living room to see who was there to escort her to the dinning area.

"Francis?" Giving the guard a friendly smile, Liz felt some of her nervousness ease. After two years of listening to Emily's stories about the powerful and intense Sonny Corinthos, and the larger than life tales of one Jason Morgan, her stomach had been tied in knots knowing that at any moment she was to meet both men face to face. Not only were they important to her friend, naturally making them important to her, but it was like meeting legends.

Seeing a somewhat familiar face made it a little easier, even if she had just met the man the day before.

"I'm not overdressed am I?" Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she stood nervously as Francis assessed her attire.

"You look lovely Miss... Webber." Liz watched, puzzled, as the large man blushed, shuffling back and forth from foot to foot like a nervous Clydesdale.

"Thank you." Her brows lowered slightly, looking down at her clothing she realized he hadn't really answered her question. "Should I change into something else?"

Clearly uncomfortable with the conversation, the giant blinked a few times.

"It's just that I guess I'm a little nervous. I mean I've never had breakfast with the Mob before. So I really don't have a clue what to wear."

Choking, Francis brought a hand to his mouth, his eyes wide as he gulped for air. After a few deep breaths he straightened his tie. "What you're wearing is fine Miss Webber, you ready?" Heading for the door, not waiting for her reply. Francis looked ready to bolt if she asked another question.

Liz's lips twisted into an impish smile, as she passed the guard. What a typical male.

"What's that?" Brenda squinted painfully at the glass that was set in front of her, her stomach clenching in pain.

"It's called a Mimosa." Sonny graced his fiancé with a devilish grin. "Orange juice and Champagne. Try it. I think you'll really like it."

"I think I'll pass." Pushing the glass just out of her reach, Brenda placed a hand to her forehead, closed her eyes and gently rubbed at her temples.

"Headache?"

Glaring across the table at his amused face, she calmed her nerves by imagining herself dumping the damn Mimosa over his perfectly styled hair. "No, not at all."

"Look, here comes Jason and Emily. She doesn't look too good either." Sonny dramatically clucked his tongue. "I sure hope there's not a bug going around. I'd hate for everyone to get sick."

Giving up on the visual of dumping the orange juice and champagne over his head, Brenda changed it to the large water pitcher in the center of the table. Her small delicate hands itched to wipe that condescending look off his face.

He knew. She knew that he did the second she'd been brave enough to crack her eyes open that morning.

Standing from his chair, Sonny nodded at Jason, then stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Emily's slim form. "It's good to see you again."

"It's good to see you again too." Offering her old friend a shaky smile, Emily gave his hands a squeeze. "Thank you for inviting me to your wedding."

"Not a problem." Jason snorted at Sonny's reply.

Clearing his throat and casting the young enforcer a questioning look, Sonny pulled out Emily's chair, waited for her to sit before pushing it up to the table. "Where's Miss Webber?"

Emily's eyes flickered from Sonny's gaze as she wrung her hands in her lap. "She was still getting ready."

"Long night?" His chocolaty eyes twinkled, not missing Emily's apprehension.

Both Emily and Brenda froze, their eyes briefly meeting. "Something like that."

"I sent Francis down to escort her." Jason cast a long look at the females before taking his seat. He was finding it hard not to wring both their necks. Blooding pounding through his veins, he knew that the scene that was about to transpire wasn't going to be a good one. When Elizabeth Webber found out that he was Emily's brother, all hell was going to break lose.

If they'd had just listened and stayed in, none of this would be happening. He wouldn't have met her, or slept with her. Most importantly he wouldn't have found himself married to her.

Married.

He was married to her. Legally. After a short call to Port Charles, he'd found out from Alexis that the marriage couldn't be annulled. They'd slept with one another, pretty much locking the deal. The only way out was going through with a divorce.

"Jason?" Blinking, Jason's head shot up to find the other three occupants at the table staring at him.

"Huh, what?"

"I was suggesting that after our meeting this afternoon that perhaps you'd like to take the rest of the day off to show your sister and her friend around." Sonny said slowly, studying the effect his words had on Jason.

Any other time, spending the day with Emily would've sounded wonderful. But spending the day with her and Liz...It'd only spell disaster. "I'm going to be pretty busy today."

"Doing what?" Clearly seeing that something was up, Sonny leaned forward, his game face on.

Seeing the way that Emily was looking at him, made Jason feel like a jerk. It'd been almost a year since the last time they'd been able to spend any time together. Her baby doe eyes showed her hurt at his crisp words. "Nothing. I'd love to take the day off."

Not satisfied, Sonny gave him a short nod. His expression telling him that they'd talk later.

He could only imagine what Sonny was going to say when he found out. His strong Catholic beliefs held marriage to be sacred.

Looking around the small private dinning room, Jason unconsciously looked for an escape route. It held four other tables, but only two were being occupied. Max and Johnny sat at the other table. Both men looking as thought they'd been drug through hell and back. Good thing there was no immediate danger, because by the looks of it a strong wind could knock both guards on their asses.

Along the far wall the caterers were busily setting up brunch. Large silver platters, covered in matching lids filled a large table.

"There's Liz." Emily stood from the table as everyone else turned to look. Everyone but Jason. He knew what she looked like. Her image burned into his retinas. He seriously doubted that he'd ever forget. Her large midnight blue eyes, framed by long dark lashes. Pouty lips, that belonged to a mouth that never quit talking. Long legs and a firm body.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason forced himself to clear his mind of the picture she had made wrapped in his sheet, lying on the floor. No he needed to think of a quick and fast divorce. Before things got even more complicated then they already were. Hopefully she didn't over-react when she saw him. Giving him a chance to talk to her. It'd be best if they kept their nuptials a secret. Not that he wanted to lie to everyone, but it just really complicated things.

Hearing Sonny greet their new guest, Jason braced himself as Sonny led her to the table.

Stepping into the private dinning room, Liz reminded herself not to fidget. It was yet another bad habit of hers whenever she got nervous. Spotting Emily and Brenda immediately, her eyes slid to the dark man who was studying her from across the room. Not needing to be told, she knew instantly it was Sonny Corinthos.

The man literally oozed power and charm. From his expensively cut Armani, to the practiced dimpled smile he was treating her with, Liz had to admit that Emily had painted a pretty accurate image of the mobster she considered family.

There was another person seated at the table, obviously male by the short spiky hair. His back to her, she couldn't help but admire the man's broad shoulders and muscled neck. Jason. It had to be. She just wished that he'd turn around so she could get a good look at Emily's hero.

"Miss Webber it's wonderful to meet you. We've heard a lot of story's about you from Emily." Standing from the table, Sonny walked over to greet her, Emily and Brenda following closely form behind.

"I can only imagine what Emily's been telling you." Giving her friend a look, Liz smiled brightly back at Sonny.

"I'd like for you to meet my better half." Placing his arm around Brenda's waist, the three females froze for a moment before playing along.

Glaring at her worse half. Knowing full well he knew they'd already met, she stuck out her hand. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"I don't know about the three of you, but I'm famished." Brenda, Emily and Liz nodded unenthusiastically, each of their faces turning an ash color.

Following her hosts to the table Liz stared at the back of Emily's brother's head, slightly holding her breath, waiting to get a good look at him. He was looking down at the tabletop, but she noticed the blush creep up his neck to the tip of his ears.

It wasn't until Sonny had pulled out her chair that Jason looked up. When his face came into view, Liz could have sworn the room started to spin and the carpet had been pulled out from under her. It wasn't possible.

"Liz?" Emily placed a supportive hand on Liz's elbow. "Are you okay?"

Gulping in a lungful of air, Liz tore her eyes from Jason's long enough to look at her concerned friend. "What?"

"Are you okay?" Emily repeated, clearly worried.

"Yeah." Her eyes flickered to Jason's, then back to Emily's. Her face was on fire, and her traumatized heart threatened to stop beating. "Just got dizzy."

"Are you sure?" Sonny arm wrapped around her waist, his humored expression gone. "If you want I could have Francis take you back to your room if you want to lye down."

"No really, just a dizzy spell." Her hands shook visibly as she sat in the chair Sonny had pulled out for her, keeping her eyes forward, refusing to look back into the icy blue glare of Emily's older brother.

After everyone had taken their seats again, Emily cleared her throat. "Liz I'd like you to meet my brother Jason."

"Hi." Giving a quick look, and fake smile, Liz looked forward again. Right into Emily's puzzled expression.

"Well?" Max leaned forward as soon as Francis took his seat.

"Well what?" Snapping back at the other guard, Francis took the napkin from the table, placing it on his lap.

"Did you find anything out?" Johnny ignored the frosty glare Francis sent him from over the table.

"I wish you two wouldn't have told me. I almost called her Miss Morgan." Max and Johnny coughed into their hands, hiding their smiles from their agitated friend. "Are you sure?"

"I'm telling you, I ran into the guy that married them when I was on rounds this morning." Leaning closer so he wasn't overheard, Max lowered his voice. "He wanted to pass on his congratulations onto Mr. and Mrs. Morgan again. Seems that he hasn't seen a couple more in love in a long time."

"Yeah great." Francis groaned, looking over to Miss Webber/Morgan and Jason plainly ignoring one another. "Perhaps we should share that with them."


	9. Chapter 9

"We have to talk." His voice low and dangerously near her left ear, Liz felt goose bumps rise along her arms as he repeated the same words from earlier that morning. Before she ran out of his rooms like some idiot. Shifting slightly, but still not looking at him, Liz clutched the plate to her in a death grip as she waited for Emily to finish placing food on her plate.

They were the last ones in line for the buffet. Emily gave them both a cheerful smile as she went to take her seat.

"Thanks...but no thanks." Whispering back between clenched teeth, she turned her back to him again, praying he got the message. Her newfound plan was to pretend it never happened. It was a good solid plan. One that didn't include any confrontation.

Hearing him heave a sigh that was clearly agitated, Liz reached for some fresh fruit. "That's not good enough." His voice came from behind again.

"Tough." He was now standing close to her left side, his scent played havoc on her senses. Earlier that morning she had been too busy gathering up her clothing and run for her life, that she really hadn't had the chance to comprehend devastatingly handsome her one night stand was. But now with him practically pressed up against her he was too hard to ignore. Jason Morgan was with out a doubt the most attractive male she'd ever seen. Too bad he was also proving to be one of the most hardheaded.

"Fine, let's talk. I'm sure it'll make great dinning conversation." With a daring look, she glared up at him. Satisfied by the dark look he gave her.

"Fine by me. Should we wait for everyone to finish, or would you mind if we just jumped right on in." Seeing her face flame and her eyes glitter, Jason hated how his body was responding to how beautiful she looked when she was angry.

"You're a jerk."

"And you're being a brat. We slept together, get over it. But there's more you need to know." Following her closely as she moved down the food line, Jason looked over his shoulder to find Sonny watching them.

"Let me guess, you're married." Liz threw back the same question he'd asked her that morning.

"No."

"Engaged?" Trying like hell to keep her voice light and her foot from connecting with his shin, Liz stared down at the quiches.

"No. Will you shut up for a second?"

"You're the one that said you wanted to talk. So I'm talking." Looking at him again with one of her fakest smiles plastered on her face. "I'd hate to be a brat and all."

Jason jaw clenched. "Try harder. I'm not saying we need to talk here. But we do need to sit down, we have a few things to discuss."

Hating the fatherly way he was talking to her, Liz felt the blood pumping through her veins as her temper started to get the best of her. "I'm sorry but my calendar is full." Taking a few steps away from him, hoping distance would stop the scene she was about to make. "If you're worried about me telling Emily, don't. I'm too humiliated for that."

It wasn't just her words that hit hard, but the way she said them. "Fine, I get it that you didn't wake up with happy shining feelings. But there are some things that you aren't aware of, some decisions we have to make."

Taking a step closer to her, he hadn't expected her to come up short, stopping in mid-stride. "We used protection didn't we?" Her blush drained from her face as her hands started to shake, almost spilling the food from her plate.

The words had the same effect as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head. Of all the things that he'd been worrying about, pregnancy wasn't one of them. Worse her tearful eyes searched his, waiting for his answer.

Taking her plate and leaning in close, Jason tried to ignore the stares of the occupants in the room. "Listen to me. You need to breathe. We can talk later."

Not knowing why, but his voice calmed her, his eyes held a promise that he'd take care of everything. "Later. Talk."

Handing her plate back, he tilted his head back to the table. Before she could take a step, the door to the dinning room slammed open. A tall blonde female stood in the doorway, her angry eyes drilling holes like a jackhammer into the man standing inches away from Liz.

Whether it was the deadly silence that cloaked the room, the fact that the guards were up and out of their chairs without a sound - each ready for action, or the low, furious curse from under Jason's breath. Liz knew that the blonde was a walking catastrophe. Causing the hairs on her arms to rise, and a cold tingle go down her spine.

Not sure what to do, and feeling like an idiot standing there holding a plate of cooling food, she waited for someone to make a move, say something, do anything. But the room seemed to be a standstill, no one knowing if they should make the first move, or wait to see what their uninvited guest would do.

Finally the blonde took a small step forward, placed a slender hand on her hip. "Dangerous huh?" The words were directed at Jason.

"What are you doing here?" Not budging an inch, his stance ridged, Jason returned her glare.

Her mouth set in a firm line as she looked around the room. "If it was so damn dangerous Jason then tell me why in the hell it's okay for you precious little sister to come and bring along some muffin-faced friend." Liz gulped as the woman's cold brown eyes locked in on her.

"You're supposed to be at home taking care of Michael." Awareness dawned on Liz. Michael...Jason...AJ...equaled Carly. This was the evil blonde witch that Emily was so upset with. The one that had stormed into her family's lives, destructing everything she touched. Lying to one brother, and using the other.

"He's fine with Momma." Closing the space between them, she came to stop just inches away from Jason. Her eyes softened, mouth twisted into what Liz assumed was to be a sweet smile but seemed more like a snarl, took Jason's stiff hand into hers and gazed into his eyes. "I missed you. Our house is way too quiet when you're gone."

"I'm hardly ever there Carly." Freeing his hand from her grasp, he looked over her shoulder at Sonny, a message passed between them in silence. Rubbing the back of his neck he saw Elizabeth out of the corner of his eye fidget, then head for the table.

"You said that you wanted to take care of Michael and me. That you wanted to be a part of our lives. I refuse to sit at home waiting for you anymore. My place is at your side." The words were spoken low, but not low enough where everyone in the room didn't hear.

Feeling as though he'd walked from some strange dream and smack dab into a nightmare, Jason racked his brain on how to take care of the situation without any casualties. Jason looked away from Carly's teary eyes, he wasn't fooled. She had crying down to an art, it was one of her best weapons. This was one of the biggest reasons he hadn't wanted her to come. The way she'd been pushing for something more permanent between them increased daily. He had needed some space from that in a big way.

"Your place is back in Port Charles." Returning his eyes back to her, he looked past the tears at the rage that simmered beneath.

The Quiche was a little dry, but other than that and the hellish fight taking place five feet from her, Liz decided that breakfast could've been worse. No, wait it was. She'd slept with her best friend's brother, who was living with some other woman, helping her raise her son. Who he had just a year ago tried to pass off as his own.

Swallowing the food past the large lump in her throat, Liz fought the urge to gag. It was either eating the food on her plate, or breaking down in tears in front of everybody. Naturally food won.

"Elizabeth you still don't look well. Why don't you let Francis take you back down to your rooms?" Sonny's hushed voice startled her, causing her to choke on the buttery croissant she'd just taken a bite from.

"No I'm fine." Her eyes skipped over to Jason and Carly. "Actually I'd like that."

Sonny gave her a sympathetic look before twisting in his seat. "Francis, Miss Webber isn't feeling well, escort her back to her suite."

Francis was on his feet without so much as a grumble for having to miss his breakfast, and hurried over to help Liz up from her seat. "Do you want me to come back up for Emily?"

"I'll get one of the guys to do it." Sonny smiled warmly at Liz. "Take care of Miss Webber and make sure she isn't disturbed."

"Emily I'm sorry." Liz said as she forced herself not to bolt for the door and leave all the chaos behind.

"I'd go with you, but I want to make sure Carly doesn't pull any of her stupid stunts on Jason." Her friend smiled in understanding. "Don't worry, maybe you Jason and me can have dinner alone tonight. I really want the two of you to get to know one another."

Spinning on her heel before anyone could see the blush that burned her entire face, Liz rushed for the door. Not waiting to see if Francis followed.


	10. Chapter 10

"Are you positive that there isn't anything I can get for you?" Francis opened the door to her suite, stepping aside and letting Liz pass.

Looking over her shoulder strangely at him, she made a face and stopped. "Francis you've asked me that four times now. All I need is a nap, really." Seeing his look of disbelief, Liz rolled her eyes. "I'm hung over, not dying."

With a slight nod of his head Francis closed the door behind him, leaving her alone in the blissful silence. Giving the door one last look, she pushed aside the guards strange behavior and walked into the living room. Tossing her purse on one end of the couch, she collapsed on the other side and placed her head into her hands.

How could one night turn her world upside down? What a mess. To top of her nightmare his girlfriend, Carly shows up. How ironic was that?

Standing up wearily she walked over to the large picture window and looked down at the tourists that were scurrying around, looking a lot like ants. What she would do to trade places with anyone of them at that moment, anything to avoid 'the talk' Jason kept hounding for.

What was there to talk about really? It seemed that neither one of them remembered much about the previous night. Probably just worried that his sweet tempered girlfriend would find out. Snorting in disgust, Liz pushed herself away from the window and wandered around the room. Typical man. But even as the thought entered her mind she brushed it aside. There definitely wasn't anything typical about Jason Morgan. Not just his appearance, but the fact that he seemed real. Like his expression when he was trying to calm her when the topic of birth control, or lack of came up. Something in his eyes told her that she could trust him to do the right thing, no matter what.

But then again what kind of man went behind his girlfriend's back? Something tugged at the back of her mind. Demanding her to remember a conversation she and Emily had no to long ago. She'd been talking about Jason and Carly. The words unholy terror used to describe the blonde and something about Jason's love for Michael. Had it really been only yesterday that Emily was telling her this?

What did it matter really? Six days from now she and Emily would be heading back to Boulder, leaving Las Vegas and last night behind. This whole mess would become yet another Lizzie story. It seemed that she couldn't get through a vacation without one.

Sadly it was Webber family tradition to sit around and tell one Lizzie story after another. Each story more embarrassing then the last. Every one of them started the same way. "Do you remember the time Lizzie... She had learned to hate those words by the time she was ten. Having to sit quietly as her family shared her most humiliating moments with anyone unfortunate enough to be considered friends of the family.

Wouldn't last night be a great Lizzie story to bring up at the next tea her Mother railroaded her into. Sitting out in the garden, surrounded by her parents snobbish friends and colleague as she told them all about the time Lizzie had her cherry popped by a Mob enforcer. Wouldn't her parents be so proud?

What she needed was a plan. One that didn't suck. She had six more days to get through and she wanted to do it with grace. Apparently her pretend it didn't happen and ignore the handsome guy strategy wasn't worth beans. The second Jason pinned her with his determined gaze she knew he wasn't one for letting things go. But that was before the big mouthed harpy had shown up. Perhaps now with his girlfriend in town he'd realize that ignorance could be bliss.

Then there was Emily. No matter what she had said to Jason, she couldn't keep something this monumental from her best friend. There was no telling how she'd react if she found out from anybody else but her. Emily had the tendency to be a little dramatic at times. No. Liz thought with a shake of her head, Emily was dramatic most of the time.

Perhaps once Emily and got over her inevitable hysterics, she'd have some insight on how to handle her brother and his irritating need to talk things out. Satisfied with her decision, Liz made her way to her room for a long soak in the luxurious tub.

"Why can't you ever listen?" Followed Carly into his suite Jason slammed the door behind him.

"I do." Carelessly shrugging her shoulders, Carly looked around and wrinkled her nose. "You own part of this place, you'd think you'd get a better room."

"It's just a room."

With a roll of her eyes, Carly sauntered over to the bed, sitting down with practiced ease and crossed one long leg over the other. "You could at least act like you're happy to see me."

"Why? I told you not to come." Rubbing a hand over his face, Jason tried to erase the disgusted expression on Elizabeth's face out of his mind. Apparently his little sister had filled her in on certain aspects of his life, painting a different picture from the one he actually lived. Who could blame her though? Emily was still young and naive. Thinking he chose to live with Carly because he felt something for the rabid shrew. Not comprehending that it was only for Michael.

By nature Carly was one of the most selfish people he'd ever met. Always looking out for number one. Not even motherhood had softened her rough and poisoned edges. When he'd first met her, she was exactly the type of person he needed in his life. Someone who wasn't up his ass, wanting him to remember some stranger's memories. Carly hadn't even known who in the hell Jason Quartermaine was. But the more he learned about himself, the more it became apparent to him that he definitely didn't need her in his life. It'd been too late by then, she was pregnant and he'd somehow had become sucked in by her many lies and schemes.

So many times he'd wanted to just walk away, to turn his back and shut her out of his life. How much easier it would have been on everyone involved. His life would've been a lot quieter. But that also meant losing Michael and that was absolutely unacceptable.

"What is wrong with you?" Her calm facade finally cracked as her eyes blazed with the fury he knew would come. This was the real Carly. The woman he knew her to be. Her little act lasted for only so long before she grew tired of it. Rising to her feet, she stabbed a sharply manicured finger into his chest, her eyes wild. "You're the one who asked me to move in with you. I thought you wanted us to be a family. You, Michael and me."

So this was how it was going to happen, Jason mused for a moment. Dreading this conversation that was going to happen sooner or later. He'd just been hoping it would've been a little more later.

"Carly not now. I have a meeting in twenty minutes. If you want to talk tonight we can."

"No, we'll talk now. Why did you ask me to move in?"

"I asked you to move in because AJ left you penniless and was threatening to take Michael away." His voice was quiet, but his gaze never wavered from hers.

"But we slept together." Carly sputtered as she took a step back.

"Carly it's been months since we even shared the same room." He pointed out as he ran a hand through his spiky hair in exasperation.

"You found someone else." Placing her hands on his chest she tried to shove him. Her eyes glared in hatred. "Haven't you? That's the real reason why you didn't want me to come."

Seeing that she was about to push at him again, Jason gripped onto her wrists to stop her. "Will you stop it? There was no reason for you to be here. This isn't about you. I'm here on business and to see my best friend get married."

"I bet she was that little Pollyanna that was with you at breakfast this morning." Clearly past listening to him, Jason's head whipped up. "That skinny little nothing."

"Carly that's enough. Leave Emily's friend out of this. She has nothing to do with you being here when I asked you not to come." Feeling the palm of her hand connect with the side of his face, Jason's head snapped to the side. He hadn't been prepared for that. She usually didn't get physical until after the first twenty minutes of fighting.

"Deny it." She screamed, "Tell me that you didn't sleep with her."

Blinking a few times, fully knowing that he was at a loss, he said nothing. She knew he couldn't lie, there was no way to really avoid a straightforward question like that but to not answer it.

Tears fell from her eyes as she angrily swiped at them. "See the brain damage is some use after all. Huh Jase? But you better tell that little piece of fluff that I refuse to lose you to a nothing like her."

"It's not what you think Carly." He could see the wheels turning in her head. Another Carly scheme that was going to have him running in circles if he didn't stop it now.

"Really?" Sarcasm dripped from her lips. "Would you like another try at my earlier question?" Raising her brows she waited for him to speak. "Let me guess, you're gonna plead the fifth. Don't worry, I won't draw any blood. Well not at first at least."

"Carly you're going to leave her alone." Lowering his voice and taking an intimidating step forward, Jason restrained himself from shaking her senseless. "If I have to lock you in this room until I can get you on the next plane I will."

"Try it." Narrowing her eyes, and taking a step so that they stood toe to toe. She tilted her head back and glared up at him. "If you do, you'll never see Michael again." Seeing his jaw clench at her threat she knew she'd gotten through to him.

Watching in glee as he spun away from her, Carly threw her head back and laughed.


	11. Chapter 11

It took her awhile to grasp onto the fact that she was dreaming. But comprehension bit her in the butt when it finally dawned on her how agreeable Jason Morgan was being. Not just agreeable but sweet, kind, almost oozing with romance. Not the sickening sweet kind, but romantic none the less. From the caring way he held her hand, to the laugh lines around his eyes when she spoke to him.

Oddly enough it felt as though they'd known one another for years, not hours. Through out the dream she felt as though she had a connection to him. Her soul sang when he was around, felt empty when he had to leave her side. The way he looked at her, as though she were some heavenly prize he couldn't seem to figure out, made her blood pump in a funny sort of way. She couldn't say it was that bad of a feeling.

All of this should have been enough to alert her that something was off. Not real. No, the Jason Morgan she knew was hardheaded, pushy and definitely didn't give her the warm fuzzies. Not that he didn't cause a reaction, she'd be lying if she said he didn't. But he sure as hell didn't give the feeling of being complete, of being loved for who she was. Not like in this dream.

The only thing that did make sense to her was that they seemed to be in a casino. Seeing that they were in Las Vegas it fit. What didn't fit was when the slot machines and craps tables were replaced by a wedding chapel, the elderly man reading to them from a thick black book. That for some weird reason she seemed to be grinning like some simpleton up at Jason who was smiling back down at her.

It was at that exact moment that she realized that her dream went from strange to bizarro. Her subconscious shouted at her to snap to it and back it up a few steps. That this wasn't something that should be happening. But a voice, somewhere deep inside her, whispered to relax. That this, the chapel. The fake flowers. Even the horrid organ music was right. Liz felt as though she were caught in a tug-a-war between her subconscious and the calm voice that whispered to her.

It was like she had to make a choice. It iwas/i her dream after all. Did she stand back and except what she was seeing? Or did she change the course of the dream? By making herself flee from the chapel and the insanity she was witnessing.

Blame it on all the romance novels that Emily teased her for reading. But even if she wanted to stop what was happening she didn't think she had the strength to do so. The emotions that she was feeling seemed so real. So she stood back. Watched, as the minister called them man and wife. Felt her blood warm and her breath quicken as Jason leaned forward, cupping her face gently in his large hands and leaned in to kiss her.

One second she was standing out side of her body, watching from a distance as she pledged herself body and soul to her best friend's brother. Then like some huge vacuum she was sucked inside her body. Finding Jason's crisp blue eyes gazing down at her, his thumb trace her lower lip before his head inched closer, his eyes on hers...

"Liz."

Blinking, she tried to block out the voice calling to her. Focusing on how Jason was just a breath away...

"Liz." The voice was closer now.

Jason's right hand moved from the side of her face, to the back of her neck. Just the feel of his skin on hers took her breath-

"Liz!"

Bolting up into a sitting position, Liz gasped in alarm. Emily and Brenda jumped back in surprise at Liz's sudden movement.

"Damn that must have been some dream." Emily said as she made herself at home on the bed.

Her mind still a little fuzzy, Liz looked around as though she couldn't figure out how exactly she was. Her gaze darted around the room, frantically searching.

"Liz are you okay?" Brenda asked, leaning over and placing a hand on Liz's forehead. "You don't look well."

"N-No, I'm fine." Seeing the way that Emily and Brenda looked at one another, Liz ran a hand through her hair. "I was just having a really strange dream."

"You wanna talk about strange?" A little glimmer sparkled in Emily's eyes . "Would you like to share with us what my brother was so intently talking to you about? I mean wow, I've never seen my brother like that before, and especially with a person he's never met."

"Are you kidding me," Brenda snorted, "I'm in shock that he spoke more than a word or two. Jason's not really the talkative type."

It was Liz's turn to snort, as she tried to swallow down the bubble of laughter in her chest. Not the talkative type, huh? She could only wish. Seemed that all he wanted to do was talk.

"Let me guess, he told you that he figured out we all snuck out last night." Emily said.

"Oh I think he has a pretty good idea that we did." Liz mumbled under her breath, ignoring the confused looks Brenda and Emily shared.

Tired of waiting for Liz to continue, Emily sat up from the pillows she was lounged against and stared at Liz. "Well what did he say?"

The worst part about having such pale skin tone was not being able to hide the hideous blush that she was experiencing at that very moment. This was her chance. She could just blurt it out and get it over with. Apparently her intentions and ability to follow through were at odds. She hated not being able to talk to Emily, to share with her what happened last night.

Licking her lips, she found it hard to breathe as the two other females in the room waited for her to answer. "Emily this is so embarrassing." Covering her face with both of her hands, Liz wished like hell she could just push some fast forward button and fly through this talk.

"What's so embarrassing?" Puzzled by her friends strange behavior, Emily touched Liz's arm gently.

"You promise not to hate me?" Liz's voice was small and unsure.

Brenda's baffled expression fell from her face, as a knowing glint sparkled in her eyes. "You're kidding. When? Where?"

Liz groaned and Emily scrunched up her face, wondering if she missed something. "What?"

After a moment of studying Liz, who was still hiding behind her hands, Brenda cleared her throat. "Liz and Jason." Lifting her brows and widening her eyes a bit, Brenda hoped she didn't need to spell it out.

Spreading her fingers so she could peek out from behind them, Liz was slightly relived to see that Brenda wasn't glaring at her in disgust. Was warmed by the compassionate look the older woman gave her. Looking over at Emily, Liz could see that Emily still hadn't caught up yet.

"I'm lost. What about Jason and Liz-" Seeing the look that Brenda was giving her, Emily's female intuition kicked in. "Ohhh. OH! No." Her head whipped to the side and watched as Liz leaned over to bury her face into her lap. "But I thought...That you were waiting. Oh my god you and my brother?" Taking a deep breath, Emily opened her mouth a few times before she could speak again. "How?"

Sitting up, Liz let her hands fall away from her face. "I can't remember. I just woke up in bed with him." Emily's jaw dropped, while Brenda out a hand over her mouth to hide her grin. "At the time I had no idea that he was your brother."

"But how did you meet him?" Emily asked,

"I don't know." Liz answered honestly.

"And when you woke up this morning, where you... I mean did you have." Emily stammered, her face turning a matching shade of red that Liz wore.

"I think she's trying to ask if you had any clothes on." Brenda's eyes glowed with curiosity.

"Please don't make me answer that."

"Wow you and my brother." Shaking her head, Emily slowly started to smile. "It's kind of neat in a way."

Looking over at Emily, Liz couldn't believe what she was hearing, or seeing. "Are you kidding me? I slept with your brother. Do you know how humiliated I was when I walked into the dinning room to find him sitting there?"

Not being able to help herself Brenda started to giggle. Her eyes watered as she held onto her sides. "I'm sorry, I know that this isn't funny. But I just can't stop picturing Jason's face when he found out that you were Emily's friend. Jason is always on top of everything. He has this irritating way of knowing everything and being in complete control. This must have just floored him."

Emily tried to keep a straight face, but to no avail. Brenda was right. Jason's expression must have been priceless.

Ignoring them, Liz rolled her eyes. "He wants us to sit down and talk."

"Let me guess, you were going with your usual plan A tactic." Emily shook her head, giving Liz a knowing look.

"Plan A?" Brenda's brows drew together.

"Act as though nothing happened. Liz's specialty."

"It's a good and sensible plan. One that I wish your brother could have accepted." Liz defended herself. "He's one of the most hardheaded, irritating and irrational men I have ever met."

"You forgot good-looking." Brenda grinned.

Ignoring Brenda's teasing, Liz shrugged. "It really doesn't matter anymore. His girlfriend is here now."

Brenda and Emily chocked at the same time. "Who? Carly?"

"I know I didn't imagine that blond ray of sunshine." Biting down hard on her bottom lip, she wished like hell the aching feeling in her stomach would just go away. "I'm sure he has other things on his mind now."

"Yeah like where the nearest clinic is so he can catch up on his rabies shots." Practically snarling, Emily tiny hands formed into fists. "Trust me, there's nothing going on between them expect Michael. No matter how badly Carly wants to trap Jason in her web it aint gonna happen."

"Emily's right. They might have had something a long time ago, but Jason isn't stupid. He can hardly stand sharing the same air with her. But he loves Michael, and would sacrifice anything to make sure that little boy is happy."

Looking down at her hands that were folded in her lap, Liz listened as Brenda and Emily went on and on about what a great guy Jason was. The more she heard the more she started to wonder where exactly was this guy the other two kept raving about. Because so far, the Jason she knew was nothing like the guy she was hearing about.

It had taken ten flights of stairs and a painful punch in a cement wall, before he was able to get control of his emotions. He was sick and tired of Carly using Michael like a pawn in her sick and twisted games. For too long now he had allowed her to manipulate him through his love for the little guy. He needed to end it somehow, in a way that would get Carly out of his life but without having to lose Michael.

Heading back up the stairs to the tenth floor, Jason tried to empty his head. He had to get through another meeting with the Gianni family. The gatherings were a waste of time. Nothing really was ever accomplished, but a bunch of small talk. He and Sonny were one contract away from partnership, but for some reason Hector Gianni, the acting head of his family was stalling.

Jason wasn't sure why, since it was the old man that sought them out. Asking them if they were interested in the partnership. Now that they were here, the old man seemed to be more interested in small talk than in business.

Opening the door of the stairwell, Jason gave a short nod at one of Gianni's men who stood guard in the hallway. The man quickly opened the door to the conference room and before he even entered he knew something was off. The tension in the room was sky high.

Meeting Sonny's eyes, Jason's feeling of uncertainty was confirmed. Looking to his right, to where Johnny and Max stood at attention, he frowned slightly at the uneasiness the two other men returned his gaze.

"Mr. Morgan." John Gianni stood up, his deep brown eyes shining. Steeping out from his spot at the head of the table, the graying older man walked across the room and extended his hand. "I hear congratulations are in order."

Jason stiffened, for only a millisecond before grasping the other man's hand into his. "Thanks."

"Mr. Gianni was just inviting us to a private dinner tonight." Sonny scratched the side of his head, tilted his head slightly to the right. "In honor of your recent marriage."

Max and Johnny coughed in the corner, and when Jason looked their way the two grown men seemed unable to meet his eyes. Turning his attention back to Gianni, Jason forced himself to smile. "You really don't have to."

"No trouble at all." Letting go of his hand, Gianni slapped him warmly on the back. "I insist."

"Yeah Jason." Sonny drawled, his tone light. "He insists."

"I hear the young woman is a beauty." Jason brain kicked into overdrive. This wasn't good. If John Gianni knew already, there was no telling who else heard the news.

Sonny's shifted in his chair, that damn smile glued to his face. "She sure is."

"My men tell me that she sure is a spitfire." Gianni mouth twitched. "Did you know that my Mother's name was Elizabeth? It's such a lovely name. If I had been blessed with a daughter I would've named her after my mother."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jason could see Sonny's head snap up. "E-Elizabeth?"

If the older man heard the question in Sonny's tone he didn't show it. His wise eyes seemed almost wistful. "I can still remember the day my Maureen agree to marry me." With a shake of his head, he laughed. "Enough about me. Tonight is about you and your new wife. Perhaps after dinner we can get that last contract out of the way."

Jason stood like a deer caught in the headlights of an on coming semi. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't. How in the hell was he supposed to tell Elizabeth that they were married? The girl looked ready to pass out when he wanted to talk about what had happened last night. She only thought they had slept together. He could see her face now. Her eyes wide, her lips trembling as he tried to explain to her that she was a married woman. One that had a dinner in her honor being thrown by one of the most powerful bosses in Las Vegas.

Then there was Carly to contend with. She was probably sharpening her claws at that very moment. Ready to pounce on him the moment he stepped through the door.

So he did the only thing he could think of. "I'm sure Elizabeth will be...thrilled." Smiling back before taking his seat next to Sonny, Jason pinched the bridge of his nose before sparing a glance at his friend.

Sonny's face was void of any expression, not that it surprised him. But his friend's eyes sparkled in amusement. Making Jason wish he could just haul off and nail his good friend, just once in the face. With a deep sigh, Jason slouched back and waited for yet another useless meeting to take place.

"So." His hands shoved deep into his pockets, Sonny rocked on the balls of his feet. Jason was grateful that Sonny had waited until the elevator doors shut before asking the inevitable. "Wanna tell me how it came about that you and little Miss Webber tied the knot?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, Jason rolled his neck to the side to relieve the tension. "I don't exactly remember."

"Uh-huh." Nodding his head like he understood, Sonny dimpled.

"All I know is that when I woke up this morning, there she was." Shifting from foot to foot, Jason cleared his throat. "She doesn't know that we're married."

The amusement in Sonny's eyes vanished. "Say that again?"

"She bolted from the room before I found the certificate."

Letting out a relieved sigh, Sonny wiped at his forehead. "Then have it annulled."

"On what grounds?" Cocking his brow, Jason waited for Sonny to answer.

"I guess its too much to ask that you two didn't..."

"Oh we did." Some of the previous night had slowly started to trickle into his foggy brain. "Four times from what I remember."

"This is going to be a problem, you know that right?" Swearing under his breath, Sonny turned his back on Jason. Rubbing the back of his neck, he turned back around. "The only thing I can think of is playing this out."

"That's fine in theory Sonny. But I have a feeling that Elizabeth isn't going to be very co-operative. She's still not handling us sleeping together all that well." He couldn't believe he was having this conversation with Sonny, in an elevator for Christ sake.

"Maybe Brenda can talk to her."

"And say what? No Sonny this is my mess, let me deal with it."

"What about Carly?" Sonny watched Jason's jaw clench.

"What about her? You know that no matter what I tell her to do, she does the opposite. If I could somehow get custody of Michael, I could get rid of her once and for all."

Sonny nodded and remained quiet.

Walking up to the door, Jason felt his stomach tighten. He had to tell her. There was no getting out of it, not now that word had gotten out. Giving a nod at Francis, Jason let out a long breath before opening the door.

Emily and Brenda's laughter could be heard coming from the bedroom. Shortly followed by the sweetest sound Jason had ever heard. Elizabeth's laughter was a low rich sound, almost like smooth honey. It didn't grate on his nerves like Carly's did, but brought a smile to his lips.

Too bad she wasn't going to have much to laugh about in a few minutes, he thought glumly. Shoving his hands into the front of his pockets, he shook his head and walked slowly to her bedroom door.

All three females were piled into Elizabeth's bed. Brenda stretched out across the bottom, while Emily and Elizabeth sat propped up against the mound of pillows at the head of the bed. They were all still laughing until Elizabeth looked up, her eyes locked with his.

The smile on her face vanished, making Jason wince slightly at the nervous way she regarded him. Emily was the second to see him. Her smile wobbled a little, but seeing the uncomfortable way he stood there gave him an encouraging grin. Brenda though looked over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing slightly before she pushed herself into a sitting position.

They knew. Damn. Not that it was going to be possible to keep anything from them. But he'd hoped to talk to Elizabeth before anyone else found out.

Clearing his throat, Jason silently told himself to stop stalling. "I need to talk to Elizabeth." He hated the way her eyes bulged with panic, her hand sought out the comfort of Emily's grasp. "Alone."

Looking at her older brother, and seeing the pain in his eyes, Emily squeezed Liz's hand with encouragement before letting go and scooting off the bed. Brenda was a little harder to reason with. He saw the furry in her eyes. The way she was silently calling him a bastard.

"Brenda, please?" Never one for civilities, he watched as Brenda sized him up before getting off the bed. Without a word the two girls left the room, Emily closing the door quietly behind them.

Them room was deadly quiet. He watched as Elizabeth tried to find something to rest her eyes on, anything other than him.

"We need to-"

"If you tell me one more time that we need to talk I'll scream." Her voice was strong, but didn't fool Jason.

"Fine." He agreed, "There's something about last night that you don't know about."

"Funny. Here I thought there was a lot about last night I didn't know about." Clearly impressed with her fire, the side of Jason's mouth ticked. "Please don't drag it out. Tell me." Though her words may have been spirited, her eyes spoke volumes. She was scared and unsure.

Here went nothing. "Seems that we were married last night."

Liz blinked a few times. He teeth gnawed on her lower lip as she thought. He stood waiting for her reaction, and when there wasn't any he reached for the large envelope in his back pocket. Pulling it out and walking closer to the bed, he handed it out to her.

He watched as she gripped onto it with shaky hands. Open it and read it twice before she lowered the pages to her lap. The tension in the room was making it hard for him to breathe. When finally she reacted he never in his life expected to see the scene before him.

Elizabeth Imogene Webber Morgan, tilted her head back and laughed.


	12. Chapter 12

Jason liked to think that he was perceptive. Reading people with just a glance, knowing exactly how they would react if put into a certain situation. It was just one of his many talents. So when he had prepared himself for tears, trembling lips, and anger, he was momentarily sideswiped when his new wife titled her head back and laughed.

She just didn't laugh a little, she laughed hard enough that tears fell from her eyes. When she'd finally calm down enough to start taking deeps breaths she'd look at him only to erupt again. After a few minutes passed he became concerned that she was going to make herself sick. "Elizabeth, this isn't funny."

"Oh, but it is." She barely chocked out between gasps for breath and hiccups. "This," Holding up the marriage certificate in the air. "It's the funniest thing I've ever seen."

With an irritated shake of his head, he stepped forward and snatched the document from her tiny hand. Folding it back up, he shoved it back into his pocket before taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "It's for real."

Wiping away the tears that rimmed her eyes, another round of laughter bubbled from her chest. "Of course it is."

Narrowing his, Jason leaned forward until their faces were only separated by a few inches. "And you find this humorous-why?"

"Because this is the best Lizzie story yet." That's when he saw it, just briefly, a sudden flash in her eyes that told him that she really didn't find any of this funny. "My family is going to just get a kick out of this one. I mean who wouldn't-right?"

"Why would your family enjoy this?"

"Because. For some strange unexplainable reason my misfortunes always amuse them. Whether it was the time I was five and puked all over Mickey Mouse, or the time I was sixteen and tripped into the Carlson's Olympic size pool during their thirtieth anniversary party. My family gets off on reliving my past humiliations over a nice dry wine and Brie. "

"They actually get a kick out of that?" She gave a little shrug before tossing back the covers and slipping out of bed. "So my drunken marriage should really entertain them." She remarked bitterly.

He barely registered her words. How could he? when she stood just feet away, clothed only in a silky baby doll camisole and matching short set. The midnight blue color only accented her creamy skin, her firm sleek muscles. Apparently she wasn't quiet as aware of the temptation she created as she started to pace.

Her mind was in a scramble. Where just seconds before she'd found it rather amusing to find herself in yet another Lizzie situation, the seriousness of it was rapidly becoming clear to her. Married. As in man and wife? To death do you part and all that crap? What idiot would marry two extremely intoxicated strangers? God she wasn't even out of her junior year of college and was married. .

She shouldn't have come. Should have hopped on the plane to Ft Lauderdale as planned. Right now she would be out on some beach, soaking in the sun. Instead of here, ruining this poor man's life with her incredibly bad luck.

Poor Jason. The guy really had the screws put to him this time. He must have been sick when he'd found the marriage certificate. No wonder he wanted to talk. Who wouldn't?

"So I guess I'll be the first person in my class to be divorced." Her lame attempt at a joke feel short, making her even wince. "I'm sure there's got to be well over a hundred divorce lawyers in Las Vegas. I mean if they have drive through chapels, maybe there's drive through quickie divorces."

The room stayed silent as Liz waited for Jason to respond. Taking a look over her shoulder she frowned a little when he sat motionless, staring back at her. His face unreadable. Soon her own breathing began to sound like thunder to her own ears.

"You know you could say something."

"We can't get divorced." His jaw was tight as he stood. Liz blinked, waited for him to explain.

"Perhaps the drinking and my slight case insanity have impaired my hearing-- but did you just say that we couldn't get divorced? Because if you did I have several reasons as to why we can...and should." Liz snapped back, her cheeks becoming flushed with every word.

Jason stood like a stone statue, not quiet looking at her, and not really ignoring her either. It was as though she were watching someone in a deep meditative state. Something was going on in that head of his and she had a sick feeling it wasn't good.

"You know it'd be a hell of a lot easier if you two just put your ears to the door." Francis remarked dryly as he flipped the page of the magazine he was reading.

"Shh." Brenda waved her hand at him from her spot on the couch. When no sound came from the room she turned back to the bodyguard. "We tried that remember. Seeing that you took it upon yourself to become the ethics police and banished us to the couch."

"You used to be fun Francis." Emily grumbled. Her eyes darting to the door anytime she thought she'd heard something.

"I'm sorry." Francis flushed. "But if Jason ever found out..."

"Wait." Brenda was hanging over the back of the couch, her hand flying up to cease any more talking. Laughter erupted from the bedroom. Brenda and Emily shared a frown, both dying to jump off the couch for a better position to hear what was happening in the other room.

"Christ she's laughing." Francis groaned under his breath. This wasn't good. Nope not at all. Jason was probably being all serious, pulling his face of stone act, and here was this young woman laughing at him. He could see Jason's stunned expression, not to be confused with his agitated expression. Francis had learned long ago it was the tightness in the jaw that really determined Jason's moods when he got into his Borg mode.

"What could she be laughing about?" Brenda whispered as though the two people in the next room could hear her. "We all know that Jason doesn't have a sense of humor."

"Yeah he does." Emily argued.

"Name one time." Brenda countered back. "Just one."

"I don't have them all memorized, but he's been funny before."

Francis cleared his throat. "He's not the joke telling kind of funny, but Jason's got a good sense of humor."

Emily grinned over at the guard before turning her attention back to Brenda. "See."

"Well point it out next time cause I sure as hell haven't seen it." Brenda grumbled.

Still waiting for Jason to respond, Liz lost the slight grasp on her patience and stomped over to stand in front of him. Lifting her slender hand she snapped her fingers in front of his face. "Hello? You there? Because I'm still waiting to hear the wondrous wisdom behind your thinking of why we should stay married."

Jerking his head back, Jason gave his head a slight shake before grasping her hand and pulling it away from his face. "We're not going to stay married."

Her dark blue eyes grew darker. She let out a growl and pulled at her hand. "But you just said--"

"We can't get divorced here." He hated having to say the words to her at all. For some reason they left a bad taste in his mouth. "Word of our marriage has already leaked. The people that Sonny and I are here doing business with found out. They're giving us a dinner tonight."

"Well I sure hope you told them no." She said with a snort.

Rubbing a hand over his face, he let out a long sigh. "I couldn't do that." He knew it was a lame excuse, but he really couldn't tell her the truth. That he needed her to come to seal a business deal. There it was. The entire reason he was feeling like a rotten creep. It wasn't just sleeping with her and getting married, but the fact that he was using her unfairly.

Her eyes narrowed, as though she could almost read his mind. "Couldn't or wouldn't?"

"Does it matter?" Seeing the storm brewing in her eyes, he took her hands into his. "Listen I'm sorry about all of this. About this morning, breakfast, the marriage. I wish I knew a better way to explain this to you. One dinner that's all I ask."

"What about that blonde Amazon from this morning?" Trying to keep the contempt out of her voice, Liz tried to pull away from him again. It was too much having him this close. It felt that the closer he got the harder was to operate her brain.

"Carly?" Noticing the way she practically snarled, Jason could barley control his smug smile. "She'll be returning home tomorrow."

"Then why don't you take her? Tell everyone that she's me." It sounded sensible, well at least in her head it had.

"They already know who you are." He watched as she gnawed on her lower lip in frustration. "It's just one dinner. What could go wrong?"

"Would you like to hear about the time I accidentally knocked down the Hamilton's Christmas tree?" She asked. Returning to the bed she flopped down, putting her hands over her face. "Or the time I kinda set fire to the Strong's patio?"

"Elizabeth we're going to have dinner. That's all I promise. No fires, no locusts nothing but some Prime Rib, perhaps a potato." A smile tugged at her lips. "I don't suppose you have anything to wear to a formal dinner."

"I have a pair of hot pink leather pants--no?" Rolling her eyes at the unamused expression on his face, she made a face at him. "I have a dress I was going to wear to Sonny and Brenda's wedding."

Without thinking twice he reached into his pocket and grabbed a wad of bills, shoving them in her direction. "You'll need something to wear." He could see the protest forming on her lips. "It's either this or I'll send Johnny out to buy you something."

Snatching the money from his hand, Liz looked down at the wad of cash. "Are you aware how unhealthy it is to be walking around with this kind of money?"

"I don't believe in banks." He watched her closely, liking the way her face lit up when she found something that entertained her.

"I guess it also helps that you carry a gun." Tossing the money onto the nightstand, Jason realized that she hadn't even counted it. Something that Carly would have done. Then she would've held out her hand expecting more. But Elizabeth acted as though the handful of hundred dollar bills meant nothing to her.

"I carry a gun for safety." Folding his arms over his wide chest, his face became blank again. "If somebody needed the money bad enough to mug me then they can have it. There's more where that came from."

Her eyes snapped up, taking in his intimidating stance. Sure some mugger would chose this guy as a target. He was as big as a mountain, and perhaps just as hard. His eyes had the capability of turning as cold as steel. The air around him screamed danger.

"Fine I'll buy a dress. Anything else?" Their gazes connected. That look was back on his face from when he'd zoned out before. But there was also a touch of indecision. His eyes snapped, as he pinched the bridge of his nose. Something was going on in that head of his, and she was afraid she was about to find out.


	13. Chapter 13

Isabelle Gianni wasn't known as the Queen Mother for nothing. She'd earned that right through thousands of silent tears she had shed alone, hundreds of funerals she had been forced to witness. Countless widows and fatherless children she had to pick up and put back together again. Her life had been anything but easy and she was amazingly aware that in any given second everything she held near and dear could be taken away.

Wife of John Gianni for nearly forty years now, she had long ago learned what it took to be married to the mob. She was a woman who not only understood the meaning of loyalty, but demanded it in return as well. Years of hard lessons, bloodshed and death had taught her what the lack of loyalty could cost a person.

A passionate woman by nature, Belle's biggest passion was family. Whether family by blood, or by business. Once she welcomed a person into her home she considered them hers. She'd protect them like a mother bear, all teeth and claws when one of her babies was in danger. It didn't matter if it were in the middle of the afternoon, or the dead of the night, if she were needed she'd be there.

Though many viewed her as a cold hearted bitch. Those close to her would swear to their dying day that they'd never met a woman with a bigger heart. She had no problem admitting that she could hold a grudge with the best of them. Once on her bad side, it took an act of God to have her change her mind. Where some may think of her unbending will as a flaw, she saw it as a gift. Belle truly believed that anyone willing to cross you deserved to be treated with contempt. She didn't have time to play nice with those who didn't matter.

Long ago she had come to the conclusion that dwelling on the darkness that hung over her family and friends, only drove a person to insanity. Instead she held those who were special to her closer. Celebrated the good around her flash and flare. Life was precious, and in a world that the life expectancy was sometimes shorter than that of gallon of milk in her fridge, she had put it upon herself to make sure the people around her always had something special to live for.

That's why when she heard about Mr. Morgan's unexpected marriage that morning, she had put it upon herself to be the welcome wagon. She had like Jason Morgan at first sight. Everything the man was could be seen through his eyes. Though he tried hard to erase all emotions from his features the first few times Sonny Corinthos had dragged him to Las Vegas, Belle had seen the mask a hundred times. She knew where to look to find the real man who was hiding.

Loyalty. Pride. Compassion. Determination. The best quality's any man could possess were shinning brightly in his eyes. It also didn't hurt that he was one handsome devil. She'd been half hoping to introduce him to her niece later on in the week. But who was she to argue with true love?

Since the two families would be related soon, she felt that it was a great opportunity to get everyone together and celebrate. There of course would be a larger party for Sonny and Brenda at the end of the week. Tonight would be more of an intimate affair.

So now she was heading to Mr. Morgan's room. Not only was she a little curious to meet the new Mrs. Morgan, but she also wanted to extend an invitation to go shopping that afternoon for a dress. So far no real information could be found on Elizabeth I. Webber. About her family, their connections, ect. Though just the girls police record was enough to let Belle know she already liked the young woman.

Stepping out of the elevator, she signaled to her guard Rico to stay at the end of the hall. Without having to look at the room numbers to find the room she was looking for, she smiled at Max who stood at his vigilant post outside Jason's room.

"That does it. I'm going in there." Emily stood from the couch. After more than twenty minutes from the time they'd heard Liz's laughter. What in the heck did the two have to talk about? Unless, of course, Jason was making her pack so he could put her on the next plane. He did warn them that if they didn't behave they'd be sent home.

Francis darted to his feet and blocked her path. "Emily leave them alone. They have things they need to discuss."

"Francis, I love you dearly. But get out of my way." Stepping to the right, Francis moved again to block her path to Elizabeth's room. "I'm going in there." Her brows gathered together as she took a step to the right looking for a way to get around Francis.

"I really hate to do this to you Em. And I know I promised never to breathe a single word about it to anyone... but if you don't go sit your butt down over there on the couch." Crossing his beefy arms across his massive chest, he gave her a look that meant business. "I will personally tell Jason that I caught you and Johnny making out...on Jason's couch last Fourth of July." Emily gasped, taking a step back.

"You promised!" Sputtering in outrage, Emily shot a look over at Brenda who only shrugged. "Like no one could see that happening from a hundred feet away."

Francis glared once over at Brenda, then placed a hand on Emily's shoulder in a brotherly way. "I'm sorry. But I'm not going to back down on this." His voice low, Francis stabbed a finger toward the couch. With a huff and a silent curse Emily spun on her heel and plopped down on the cushion.

Brenda studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing. "You know something don't you?"

"I know lots of things." Francis commented dryly, as he made his way back to his chair and picked up his magazine.

Not one to be put off by his nonchalant attitude, Brenda leaned forward. She could almost smell it. Something was up, and not just the earth shattering announcement that Jason and Elizabeth had spent the night together. There was something even bigger going on and Francis that big lout knew.

"Francis--."

"I'm not telling you Brenda so don't even try to pull the Sugar Princess act with me. You're good, but not that good." Licking his thumb and turning the page, he pretended like he was the only one in the room.

"You know you're not the only one who knows how to blackmail." Emily smirked.

"I think you two are forgetting that I have little sisters and I know how to play this game."

Both girls shared a look. What ever he knew it was good. "You know we're going to find out sooner or later."

"Good. But it won't be from me." Chuckling at the not so lady like language coming from the couch, Francis was true to his word and kept his mouth shut.

Was there anything else? Now there was an open ended question he'd rather not have to answer at that very moment. Where would he start? The biggest thought bouncing around his brain at that moment was her question earlier that morning. Did they use protection? Damn if he knew. It had taken him finding a marriage certificate to know that he was a married man. How in the hell was he supposed to know whether or not he used a condom?

Then that brought up another question. What were they going to do if she was pregnant? It was like a never-ending domino effect that made him dizzy just thinking about. Which was exactly the reason he never saw the point in worrying over the what ifs. It got too confusing. It was better to just stick to the here and now's of the matter.

Blowing out a sharp breath, Jason shook his head. "Nothing that we need to talk about now."

"But there's something isn't there?" She didn't need for him to answer. It was written all over his face.

"Not now. There's already enough for us to concentrate on."

"So I guess hoping that we could keep our mar- you know a secret?" The thought of having to tell Emily and Brenda the newest twist to the plot made her stomach ache.

"We have to tell them the truth." He answered without a second thought. "Sonny already knows. Same with the Gianni's. "

"Here's an idea. You go and tell them. I'll stay in here." Her eyes large and hopeful, Jason smirked at her mock innocence.

"How about we both go out there and tell them." Offering her his hand, Jason waited for her to accept it.

"I like my idea better." Grumbling under her breath she hesitated before taking his hand.

"I bet you do." Giving her a squeeze of reassurance, Jason nearly had to pull her to the door.

Belle stopped right outside the Morgan's room and smiled warmly at Max. "It's good to see you again Max."

The large man seemed to squirm a little, but returned the welcome. "I've been meaning to drop by. I've missed your homemade pies."

"I bet you did." Laughing at the memory of Max, Johnny and Francis nearly growling at one another like wild dogs over one of her pies the last time they were in town. "I'm here to congratulate Jason and invite the new Mrs. Morgan out for a little shopping."

Beads of sweat appeared along the guard's brow. "I'm sure she would've appreciated the gesture Mrs. G. But they aren't in right now."

Lifting a brow at him, Belle gave him a jesting smile. "Sure they aren't. That's why you're camped out in the hallway? Max you need to remember that I'm not some brainless newbie."

"I'd never think that you were brainless." Max defended himself, wiping at the sweat with the back of his hand. The last thing he wanted to do was lie to the woman. He'd heard the stories. She could be as revengeful as Sonny could be. But it also wasn't in his best health interests to go blurting out the truth.

That Carly Benson was behind the door.

"That's good to hear." Unclipping her pocketbook, she pulled out a hankie and dabbed the soft white material across Max's forehead. "So are they in there and just don't want to be disturbed?"

"Uh yeah." Mumbling at his feet, Max was beginning to feel queasy. He had thought when he'd been assigned his post he'd have trouble. He just thought it would come in the form of a blonde banshee.

One second he was lying to the most intimidating female he'd ever met. The next moment his worst nightmare came true. The door to the suite swung open and Carly stepped out. If his hands weren't shaking so damn bad he'd pull his own gun out and aim it at his head.

Carly stopped short, her bright eyes dimming slightly when she took a look at the two people standing in the hall. She pointedly sized up the old hag and discarded the woman. "I thought Jason was back."

As much as he liked to believe he was a gentleman, Max wanted to shove the witch back in the room and slam the door. "Not yet."

Belle watched the interaction with curiosity. "Max aren't you going to introduce me to Elizabeth?"

"Wasn't really thinking about it." The dark man muttered under his breath, bringing a hand to cover his face.

"Who's Elizabeth?" Carly's painted mouth snarled. Her eyes pinned Max in place.

"I-ahh. I'm just gonna go stand over there." Jerking his thumb over his shoulder, Max retreated a few steps. The damage was done and there was no going back. He wished like hell Jason would've listened to him earlier when he suggested that they handcuff Carly to the bed and gagged her.

Belle studied the woman in front of her. There was nothing special or extraordinary about her. Sure she may be pretty, with a slender build and a big chest. But there were no becoming traits in her lifeless eyes. The woman didn't possess one ounce of human compassion. Belle had met more than she fair share of woman like the one standing in front of her. They were commonly called whores in most social circles.

"If you're looking for Jason, he's not here." Looking down her nose at the older woman, Carly wrinkled her nose.

A little more than curious as to who the blonde was, Belle couldn't help herself but play the female along. Extending out her hand, she locked gazes with her victim. "I'm Isabelle Gianni. I can't say I've had the pleasure of meeting you yet."

Clearly hesitating, Carly finally shook hands with the woman. "Carly Benson."

"A friend of Mr. Morgan?" Max's whimpering could be heard from his spot down the hall.

"His fiance." Carly smirked.

Belle didn't blink at the startling news. This woman Carly was good, and apparently Mr. Morgan's girlfriend on the side. A little shocked and more than a tad dismayed that he'd do this to a new bride, Belle knew that such arrangements weren't unheard of in the world. John infact had tried to carry on such dalliances their first few years of marriage. Fortunately for her he learned his lesson early on, and hadn't made that mistake again.

Contempt and total disrespect flooded through her veins for the blonde. She felt sorry for Elizabeth and prayed the young woman didn't know of her husband's bad taste in bringing his whore with him. Making up her mind with any regrets, Belle decided that it was up to her to teach the new Mrs. Morgan on how to train a new husband.

Even with his bad choice in judgment, Belle still liked Jason. He was only a man and until trained properly didn't know better. Men had a nasty habit of thinking with their lower regions then the brains God gave them. No it was her duty to take Elizabeth Morgan under her wings. To help the two young people achieve the total bliss that she and John now shared.

"Francis has anyone ever told you that you're the biggest pain in the ass known to mankind?" Brenda demanded after being forced to watch him read that damn magazine for the last five minutes. She wanted to rip the thing from his hands. Roll it up and beat him senseless with it.

"Brenda compliments will get you no where." He chuckled.

"I think Brenda is on to something here." Emily leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling. "I remembered you being a whole lot cooler."

"Will you two leave Francis alone?" Jason's voice came out of no where, startling the two girls on the couch. Francis rolled his eyes to the heavens, silently thanking whoever decided to step in and intervene.

Emily and Brenda twisted around on the couch and stared at the couple standing in the doorway of Elizabeth's suite. Jason put his hand on the small of Elizabeth's back and nearly had to push her to make her move from the spot she seemed comfortable rooted to. She shot him a pleading glance that he artfully ignored. Instead he nodded to the overstuffed side chair. Clearly dragging her feet, Elizabeth refused to meet anyone's eyes as she took her seat.

"Jason, what's going on?" Emily didn't like how pale her friend was and blamed her brother for it.

"There's some things you all need to know about." Clearing his throat he took sat down on the armrest next to Elizabeth.

"You're not sending her home are you?" Her brow creased in worry, Emily wrung her hands together in her lap.

"I could only wish." Muttering under her breath, Elizabeth ignored the irritated look that Jason gave her.

"I asked you two to stay in last night so that nothing would happen." Catching the guilty look that crossed his little sisters face Jason knew that he didn't need to go any further.

"It's not all their fault Jason." Brenda cut in. "I'm the only that got them out in the first place."

Turning his head he locked his eyes with hers. "I'm also aware of that. But there's no going back and undoing anything."

The two women facing him on the couch gave a short nod.

"Because of what happened last night there's been a little more that I found out this morning." Scratching the side of his head, he tried to find the words that would cause Elizabeth the least amount of embarrassment.

"Oh would you just spit it out? You're killing me here." Covering her face with both her tiny hands, Elizabeth took a deep breath and blurted out the first thing that came to her. "We got married."

The room grew silent, no one spoke as they exchanged flabbergasted looks.

"Come again?" Emily finally spoke up. "Because from all the way over here it sounded a lot like I have a new sister-in-law."

Reaching into his back pocket Jason pulled the certificate out and handed it to his little sister. Brenda looked over the other brunette's shoulder as she slowly unfolded the paper. "Oh my god." They said in unison. "This is for real isn't it?" Emily's eyes were owlish as she looked up.

With a nod of his head, he looked down to see how his new wife was holding up. Her hands were still covering her face, as she prepared for the storm. Prying her left hand away, he held it securely in his hand and absently caressed his callused thumb across her delicate skin.

"She can't be married. We have two more years of college left." Emily stood, the marriage certificate fell to the floor. "We were going to hitchhike across Europe after graduation."

Jason felt a shiver go down his spine as the thought of the two trouble makers being on their own in a foreign land. "She still has two years left of college. What you two do after graduation is up to you."

Emily paused in her pacing her gaze cut to him. "Are you telling me that you two are getting divorced?"

"We can't stay married." Elizabeth cut Jason off before he could respond. "I mean how stupid would we be to not get divorced." Jason's face darkened, and he remained silent.

"You two sleeping together was a lot to take." Brenda started out slowly. "But married? Wow. I bet Carly was thrilled with the news."

"She doesn't know." His tone was low, and he sounded a little irritated.

"Can I make my request now to be present when you do?" Emily stopped pacing long enough to find some amusement in the entire fiasco.

"I'm not going to tell her...yet." Letting go of Elizabeth's hand he stood and shoved both his hands into his front pocket. His stance ridged as he waited for the next round of questions.

"So I take it this isn't going to be the shortest marriage in history?" Brenda laughed nervously. She wasn't blind, she saw the change in Jason's eyes the second Elizabeth spoke up about not staying married.

Shaking his head, Jason said. "Some how the Gianni's found out. They're throwing Elizabeth and I a party tonight."

"That should be fun." Snorting at the way things were turning out for Jason and Elizabeth, Brenda paused. "Oh crap Sonny and I are going to have to go aren't we?"

"It'd look weird if you two didn't. Same with Emily since she's my sister and Elizabeth's roommate."

"So the two of you are going to pretend to be some happily married couple?" Both Elizabeth and Jason winced at Emily's question. Pretending to be a married couple was one thing. But happily? "You two don't even know one another."

"I've met the Gianni's, Jason. They aren't stupid." Shaking her head at the hopeless situation, Brenda rubbed her hands nervously. "You're never going to pull this off."

He hadn't thought of that. It was one thing to just go along with the popular belief that he and his new wife were blissfully in love. Another to actually prove it to the world. Looking down at the young woman who was gnawing at her lower lip, Jason silently cursed.


	14. Chapter 14

"I've met the Gianni's, Jason. They aren't stupid." Shaking her head at the hopeless situation, Brenda rubbed her hands nervously. "You're never going to pull this off."

"What's there to pull off?" Elizabeth asked. "We go to the party and act like we just got married."

"We are married." Jason's gruff voice made Elizabeth frown.

"It's not just a piece of paper that makes you a married couple ." Catching the scowl on Jason's face, Brenda groaned and looked at Emily for help. "Will you back me up here?"

"What I think Brenda is saying, is that it's not just enough to go around and tell people you just got married. You have to look it. There are so many holes that would lead anyone to believe that you two barely know one another. Just off the top of my head don't you think it's a little weird that you're not sharing a room?" Looking over at the nervous brunette, Emily watched as Brenda nodded. "Exactly. I can't even begin to tell you how badly this is going to backfire."

Still not seeing what the big deal was, Jason's frustration mounted. "What choice do we have right now?"

"We could always just back out. Tell them that I'm not feeling well." Her stomach in knots and her head still killing her, Elizabeth didn't think her idea would be much of a stretch.

"You can't do that either." Brenda spoke quickly, her head shot up frantically. "We're here for another six days. One way or another they're going to want to extend their congratulations. Whether they postpone the party, or wait until Sonny and I get married. With the up coming partnership, like it or not the Gianni's become our extended family."

"So what do we do?" Feeling the room closing in on her, Elizabeth was finding a little hard to breath. She was starting to feel as though she'd just walked away from one car wreck smack dab into another.

The room grew quiet. "We could turn you into a happily married couple." Francis suggested, letting Jason's dark look roll off him. "Don't look at me like that Morgan. This is your mess. I'm just trying to help you fix it."

"You're making too much of this." Jason argued.

"Really?" Arching a brow at him in challenge, Brenda turned her attention to Elizabeth. "Here's a test. If you pass this I'll leave the two of you alone and let you foul this up on your own--."

"Instead of having your help messing things up?" Jason muttered, glaring over at his best friend's fiance.

Clearing her throat, Brenda leaned forward, her attention glued on Elizabeth. "Pretend that I'm Mrs. Gianni."

"Okay." Not sure where Brenda was going with this, Elizabeth nodded.

"So tell me Elizabeth, how exactly did you meet your lovely new husband?" It was an easy enough question. One that was usually asked of most newlyweds. But her brain shut down as she tried to come up with a reasonable answer. Somehow she was certain telling her host that she'd just met her husband that morning as she fell out of his bed in a poorly executed escape attempt wouldn't count.

Jason groaned at Elizabeth's delay. Brenda gave him a sharp look to silence him. "Okay that was little unfair. We can come up with a great story you can feed anyone who should ask. Try this one on. Mr. Gianni has just made a toast to your bright future. Wishing you two hoards of children, the white picket fence and dog. Everyone starts tapping their glasses and expects the two of you to kiss." A diabetic smile brightened up her face as Elizabeth turned ghostly white. "Bzzz you fail."

"Oh God this is hopeless." Leaning her head back against her chair, Elizabeth stared up at the ceiling. Jason wanted to comfort her, but felt awkward.

"Stupid yes, hopeless no." The glint in Emily's eyes turned devilish. "Francis had a valid point, we can make the two of you into the perfectly married couple."

"How can you do that?" Not sure that he like the idea of pulling his sister into this, Jason narrowed his eyes in her direction.

"We can quiz the two of you on each other. Tell you one another's likes and dislikes." Brenda's eyes lost some of her nervousness as her brain wrapped around what Emily was suggesting. "Yes! Arrange everything to make it appear like you're in love and that your marriage was the most natural thing in the world."

"You two are having way too much fun with this." Elizabeth grumbled.

"Think of this as an adventure." Emily grin stretched across her face. "Fact number one about Elizabeth, she's always up for an adventure."

"And they always turn out so well." Elizabeth countered back dryly.

"Jason hates to not having control over every situation. Drives him up the wall when his life is chaotic." Francis volunteered.

"Francis you're not helping." Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason tried to find holes in his sisters plan. But their choices were slim and they were already running out of time.

"See what I mean." Francis teased.

"This is going to be great." Clearly enjoying herself at Jason's expense, Brenda started to search for pad of paper and something to write with. Pulling her purse onto her lap, she cried out in triumph. "We need to make a list. Number one we need to get them a separate room. Can't have the newlyweds shaking up on different floors."

Jason and Elizabeth both started to argue, but Emily's excited voice cut them off. "Oh and a wedding rings."

"That's good!" Scribbling down the second item the two girls turned their attention over to Francis.

"If Elizabeth is going to play the part of Mrs. Morgan she's gonna need a new wardrobe." A little hesitant on his answer, Francis looked at the girls for their approval.

"For crying out loud Francis, don't help them." Giving his guard a betrayed look, Jason threw his hands in the air and gave up. Nothing was going the way he wanted it to, so who the hell was he to fight this.

"I suggest that we split up." Pushing her hair out of her face, Brenda wrote down a few more things and ripped the page from her notepad. Folding the paper up she hurried over to Francis and gave slipped it into his hand. "Can you get these things done in a few hours?"

Francis wavered for a moment, stealing a glance over to where Jason was sulking. Opening it up he scanned the list quickly. "Yeah shouldn't be a problem."

"Great." Turning around, she took control of the situation in a way that would make even Sonny proud. "Elizabeth and I will go shopping for dresses. Emily you and Jason go and look for a ring and you'll also need something to wear. Francis knows what he needs to do." Looking down at her watch, she looked thoughtful for a moment. "Two hours should do it. When we're done we'll meet back at Sonny's and my room."

Emily was the only one to move. Jumping up off the couch she wasted no time getting to her room. Brenda's eyes narrowed in on Elizabeth as she sat motionless, her expression dazed. "Chop, chop. You have twenty minutes to get ready. I'll drag you out of here naked if I have to." Blushing a deep crimson color, Elizabeth glanced over at Jason. Not really sure this was something he was wanting to get involved with. "Sweetheart you've only been married a few hours and you're already looking at him for his approval?" Teasing, Brenda laughed at the uncomfortable looks on their faces.

Sliding out of her chair, and without another look in Jason's direction, Elizabeth excused herself to get ready.

"This is stupid." Jason muttered to himself for the hundredth time in little less than an hour. He and Emily were standing in front of a large display case with every shaped and sized wedding and engagement ring known to man kind.

Her eyes scanning the rows of rings, Emily snorted. "No what was stupid was you marrying my best friend."

Shoving his hands into his pockets he pouted. Shaking his head at a ring Emily pointed to he took his time defending himself. "I already told you that we were drunk. I can't even remember meeting her."

"There's a romantic story I hope you don't share with your grandkids someday." Letting out an excited yelp she pointed to another ring.

"Too big."

"Are you kidding me. There's no such thing as a diamond being too big." Her face twisted in distaste at him even suggesting it.

"Her hands are too small and that would look ridicules on her. Besides since we're not staying married there's no grandchild to worry about. " Pausing he scanned another row.

"I was joking. Like Elizabeth would ruin her life by staying married to a stranger. Even if he is my handsome older brother." Rolling her eyes at him she walked away to another glass case and searched. "She really has a chance to make something of herself in the art world. You should really see some of her stuff...I'm sorry I forgot."

Waving off her apology Jason followed her. "She can't be married and be an artist at the same time?" Not really sure why he was asking his sister this, Jason half hoped she'd let his question drop.

"I don't know, I guess she could be." Frowning a little, Emily looked sideways at her brother who was pretending to look for a ring. "I guess she could do both. I just always pictured her having a few art shows, selling a couple of paintings, perhaps travel some before she was sucked into the married life."

Giving her a disbelieving look, Jason laughed. "I thought all woman dreamed about finding the right man and getting married."

"What time period are you living in Jason?" Disgusted with her brother, Emily stepped around him and traveled further down the row of display cases. "Not all woman want to be shackled into some life sucking commitment. We kind of like our independence now a days."

Turning to his sister Jason studied her as if he'd never met her before. "I didn't know that you never wanted to get married."

"I didn't say that."

"Maybe not, but it sure sounded that way from where I'm standing."

Letting out a long sigh, Emily shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, maybe after growing up with the Quartermaine's my views on matrimony have been slightly tainted."

Nodding his head in understanding, Jason reached the end of the last display case. "Just pick a ring Emily so that we can go."

"Nu-huh. Getting your wife a ring is your problem. I'm just here to help." Emily said. "Besides actually looking at them might help."

Giving her a glare he stalked back over to the first case they had looked at. His eyes narrowed in on the wedding set that had caught his eye earlier. "Hey can we get some help here?"

"It's a dinner to celebrate your wedding." Yanking the black dress from Elizabeth's hands, Brenda shoved it back on the wrack with a weary smile. "Not your funeral."

"From where I'm standing I don't see much of a difference." Muttering loud enough under her breath for her new friend to hear, Elizabeth picked out a cream colored dress and turned to where Francis was busy talking on the phone. At his blatant grimace, she sighed and placed it back.

"Come on I know that Jase is a little rough around the edges but he's really not that bad of a guy once you get to know him." Wishing she had watched what she'd been previously been saying about her fiance's best friend, Brenda sometimes forgot that not everyone knew about hers and Jason's rocky start.

"Name three endearing qualities he has." Clearly throwing down the challenge, Elizabeth crossed her arms in front of her and waited for Brenda's response.

"He's loyal." Stammering just after the first one, Brenda looked over Elizabeth's shoulder at Francis for some help.

"He's got one hell of a shot." Both females tensed and looked around to see if anyone else had heard him.

"Francis?" Brenda smiled.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Running a hand through her hair Brenda closed her eyes and thought real hard. "Fine you want to know about Jason. He's hard to get along with. Stubborn. And basically can be the biggest pain in the ass you'll ever meet. But he's also one of the most caring people I have ever met. He protects what he considers. He doesn't lie, doesn't see the use, though isn't above misleading a person down the wrong path. Plus he isn't all that bad on the eyes."

Elizabeth's face flamed at Brenda's last comment. Like anyone had to tell her that Jason was a good looking man. She had gotten more than an eyeful that morning as he stood practically naked. bed sheet wrapped low around his waist as he tried to make her talk to him. "Fine I'll give him a chance."


	15. Chapter 15

Sonny Corinthos sat back on his couch, one hand covering his mouth as he watched Jason pace the length of the living room. He knew he shouldn't be getting any form of enjoyment from Jason's uncommon restlessness, but it did his heart some good to see Jason squirm. It was irritating the way Jason was always so damn calm and in control. Sonny had started to wonder if his friend had forgotten what it was like to feel anything other than lukewarm.

"Will you tell him to stop pacing?" Brenda growled under her breath. "He's going to make me sick just watching him."

Chuckling, Sonny took her hand into his and gave her a small squeeze. "Hey Jase, she's right you need to calm down."

With an irritated grunt, he glared at the couple and headed to the window. His mind was on automatic repeat. He was a colossal jackass. The situation had gone from mind numbing bad, to down right gut wrenching heinous, just by a few very simple words from his darling little sister. Who at this moment was ready to tar and feather him.

He could tell just by the way she looked at him through the day that she wasn't happy with him. Not that he blamed her. But it wasn't until they were in some ridiculously over priced dress shop that she had finally snapped. Turning on him with rage in her eyes.

"I just want to know one thing Jason. Then I'll leave it alone."

"What?

"How is it that you can be so damn calm and cold hearted about this. Knowing that you were Liz's first?"

One simple conversation had put a whole new spin on things. What made it worse was that he hadn't known. Perhaps because he'd been in such a rush to find Elizabeth before breakfast. That when he'd flung the sheet from around his waist, onto the bed, he'd missed the evidence.

"Emily called a few minutes ago saying that she and Elizabeth were just about ready." Brenda interrupted the silence, her voice bringing Jason out of his trance.

Sonny cleared his throat. "So have you talked to Alexis about drawing up the divorce papers?"

Cursing under his breath, Jason hung his head low. "There won't be a divorce."

The room went silent. The antique clock on the mantel above the fireplace practically boomed as the second hand ticked away. "Excuse me?" Brenda's choked. Her tone for once not amused. "You can't be serious."

"I am." The two words were spoken with such conviction, that both Sonny and Brenda set back against the couch. Their eyes slightly wide.

"Does she know this yet?" Sonny asked. His face twisted in confusion.

Shaking his head, Jason pinched the bridge of his nose and stumbled to the nearest chair. Looking over at his two friends, his eyes filled with trepidation. "I don't think she's going to be happy about it either."

"You think?" Brenda's smirked, as she looked over to Sonny. "He can't do this. Tell him he can't do this."

Jason's brows bunched. "Why not?"

Brenda's head snapped around over to where Jason was sitting, her eyes blinked a few times before her jaw dropped. "Sonny!" Jumping up from the couch, she spread out her arms frantically.

Shifting uncomfortably under his fiance's gaze, Sonny scratched the side of his head. "Jase she's right. You can't just make that decision on your own. Elizabeth might have something to say about it. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Letting out a long breath, Jason leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on his knees. His black Armani stretched slightly across his broad shoulders as he thought of what he was going to say. Never one who understood the inner workings of the female mind. Jason had a pretty good feeling that Elizabeth wouldn't want her sexual status broadcasted to people she hardly knew.

"I'd rather not say."

"Really?" Brenda started to pace, talking to herself under her breath.

"Fine." Understanding the expression on Jason's face, Sonny knew whatever was bouncing around in Jason's head had to be big. Something private. "Tell me this. Are you in love with her?"

"No." His answer came easy, honestly.

"Oh this is the most romantic moment I've ever witnessed." Brenda's shrill voice hitched up a notch. "You don't love her but you're going to stay married to her." Heading over to the wet bar she picked up the decanter of brown liquid and poured it into a glass, almost to the rim.

"What happens if she doesn't want to stay married?" His words were spoken slowly, as Sonny watched Jason with intense eyes. When it came down to it, he would always back up his friend. Jason wasn't one to make a rash decision without some solid reason to back them up. If his friend wanted to stay married to a woman he didn't know, then Sonny would move heaven and hell to make it happen.

"Then I'll explain to her all the reasons we should."

Holding the glass up to her lips, Brenda looked back and forth at the two men. Had seen the look that passed between them and made a silent prayer for Elizabeth. The poor girl didn't stand a chance.

"Francis we'll be ready in five minutes." Emily stuck her head out of the suite door and flashed the guard a huge smile.

Francis lowered the phone from his ear and smiled back. The young woman disappeared and his smile slipped off his face. They were so damn screwed. Placing the phone against his ear again, Francis spoke. "You couldn't have called and warned me earlier?"

"Bite me Francis. I tried, but someone's freaking phone was busy all afternoon." Max's voice snapped back. Pounding could be heard in the background.

"What in the hell is that?" Francis groaned at the faint sound of Carly's voice. "Christ, shut her up or security is going to be up there."

"Too late. They've been her twice." Mumbling under his breath, he took a deep breath. "Remember how bad that Ramón job was?"

"Yeah that bastard escaped into the sewers and we had to follow him. I ruined those brown leather shoes I picked up in Italy."

"This is worse. I'm telling you if Jason doesn't do something about her soon I might just shoot her."

Hearing movement on the other side of the door, Francis cleared his throat. "So you were telling me about Mrs. G."

"Yeah she showed up here to take Mrs. Corinthos shopping."

"But she didn't see Carly right?" There was a long pause. "Right Max?"

"It wasn't my freaking fault. I told Jason we should've at least tied her up."

"We are so screwed. You know that right?"

"Well someone needs to tell Jason and Sonny. Give them a heads up."

"You goddamned wimp." The line went dead just as the door opened and the two young women stepped into the hall. Snapping the phone shut, Francis looked up and felt as though he'd been punched in the gut.

Well into her second glass of Cognac, Brenda let out a small giggle. "So what do you want for a wedding present Jase?" Reaching over to take the glass from her, Sonny's lips tugged as he fought a smile. "A restraining order from Carly. Cause when she finds out there's gonna be fireworks."

Jason let out a low moan. Carly. How in the world could he have forgotten about her? It was like forgetting about a leaking gas leak near a burning flame. "I'll deal with her."

"You're going to lose Michael you know." Knowing that he didn't need to point this out, Sonny saw the pain in Jason's eyes. "Maybe we can buy her off."

Jason face was filled with disgust. "I'm not going to treat him like he's some kind of object that can be sold."

"Well you need to think of something." Brenda stood from the couch and swayed on her feet. "Because we all know she's a crappy mother." Walking back over to the wet bar, she picked up the decanter again. This time ignoring the clean empty glasses sitting to the side.

Bowing his head into his hands, Jason tried to blank his mind. There was too much to think about. What he needed was to find some small bar. With a pool table and be left alone until he had everything sorted out.

"Miss Quartermaine and Miss err Mrs. Morgan are here." Francis muttered the last part and stepped aside to let the two young women pass through. Shutting the door quickly behind them.

Emily looked around the silent room. Sonny sprung to his feet and walked toward them in greeting. Brenda was standing at the other end, tilting what seemed to be a half-empty decanter of liquor to her lips. Her brother barely blinked as his eyes zeroed in on Elizabeth who was trying to disappear behind her.

"Okay what happened?"


	16. Chapter 16

Having grown up in the Quartermaine household, Emily could sense tension at a hundred yards. It was like some twisted survival skill she had inherited growing up. Where the army gives bad hair cuts and butt ugly uniforms the Quartermaine's handed out 'Dysfunctional Families for Dummies' at the front door.

Though she was a little rusty, having been blessed by attending a college several states away, she couldn't miss the tell-tale signs even if she were to grow a tail and become one of the three blind mice. From Sonny's overly eager greeting, to Jason's tense and frosty gaze. But the topper was Brenda off in the corner nursing what looked to be a decanter.

"What did we miss?" Directing her question at the lush, Emily wasn't a fool. She knew she'd get to the bottom of whatever was going on by questioning the most defenseless. Another talent she had picked up.

"Nothing but a huge sickening step back for woman's liberation." Giggling at her own joke, Brenda teetered to the right, barely grasping onto the wet bar before finding herself on the floor.

Cutting his fiance a less than thrilled glance, Sonny cleared his throat before turning his attention to the two young females. "You two look enchanting."

He wasn't lying. He'd watched Emily grow up. From a cute girl, to a breathtaking young woman. But never had he seen her like this. She looked elegant. From her crimson dress and matching choker, to her stylish twist. It wasn't just her clothing, but Emily's very aura. She had definitely made that huge leap from adolescent to adulthood.

It wasn't until Emily stepped aside that he got a good look at the woman hiding behind her. His jaw nearly dropped as he tried to find the words to express himself. The woman meekly glancing back at him was going to turn more than a few heads tonight. "Elizabeth..." Shaking his head slightly, Sonny looked over his shoulder to see the effect her appearance had on Jason. If they wanted to talk him out of marriage this wasn't going to help.

Jason stood frozen in place, his eyes skimming Elizabeth's slender body. From her open toed heeled shoes that strapped around her cute little ankles, up the iridescent pearl gown that hugged her small hips, waist and molded almost sinfully to her pert young breasts. His blatant glace ended when his eyes connected with hers. They stood staring at one another, the rest of the rooms occupants momentarily forgotten.

The temperature in the room seemed to have rocketed. His crisp white shirt and tux jacket seemed to have shrunk, leaving him more uncomfortable than usual. Something flickered in the back of his brain. Tequila shots. They had been standing next to the bar, sprinkling salt on some very interesting places.

His eyes flickered down to the hollow of her throat. A silent groan stuck in his throat as the vision of Elizabeth, her head thrown back-

"Wow do I have great fashion sense or what?" Brenda slurred. Snapping Jason back to the present. "I told you that dress was to die for."

Welcoming the reprieve from the sensations Jason's glance was giving her, Elizabeth broke eye contact first. "Thanks. I still think the black one would've looked better."

Snorting, Brenda lifted the decanter to her lips again. "I almost feel bad that I talked you out of it. It certainly would've been the correct color." A look of puzzlement washed over Elizabeth's face, feeling that she had missed something.

"I thought you said black was more for a funeral."

"Yup." An amused slur answered. "You might want to sit down and drink something yourself before you hear."

"Hear what?" Emily asked to no one in particular.

"Brenda stop." Clearly not amused by Brenda's antics, Jason strode across the room and nearly ripped the glass container from her hands. "Don't do this."

"What?" Blinking her eyes innocently at him, she made a sloppy grab for the object. "You know what? You were a lot more fun when you were single."

Holding the decanter high above his head, Jason glowered over at Sonny. "Will you do something?"

"What do you want me to do? Hogtie her and make her behave?" Sonny said, the right side of his mouth curling slightly. He might as well have announced from the rooftops that Jason had created the mess and it was his job to clean it up. "I'm not the one who drove her to drink."

"I didn't force her to do anything." Jason snapped.

A loud whistle stopped everyone in their tracks. All heads turning to where Emily was standing, two fingers still in her mouth. Seeing that she had all of their attention, Emily dropped her hands to her sides. "I don't know what happened before we got here. But I didn't spend all afternoon shopping with my brother so I could miss this dinner." Turning to Sonny, Emily's face expressed that she was all business. "Do something with Brenda. I don't care how she got this way, just fix it." Turning to her brother, she scolded. "And you have the manners of a pig. You haven't even told Liz how pretty she looks."

Scowling back at her, Jason waited until Sonny had a hold of Brenda and started leading her to their bedroom. Placing the decanter back on the wet bar, he stole a glance over to where Elizabeth was standing. Her cheeks were stained red at Emily's remark. "You look beautiful."

Emily snorted. "That's the best you can do after three hours of-."

"Do you mind?" His tone exasperated, Jason glared in Emily's direction. "Maybe you should go help Sonny."

"No I'm enjoying this... Fine. But be nice." With her last warning, Emily quietly slipped into Sonny's and Brenda's bedroom.

"You really don't have to say anything." Biting down on her lip nervously, she all of a sudden felt like a little girl dressing up in her mother's clothing. She never had been one for elegant gowns that could be found only on beauty pageant contestants or anorexic models. She also wasn't too fond of hairdo's that pulled at her hair, took hours to do, and left her with a headache. Her make up itched, and her delicate heels were already killing her feet. She usually dressed for comfort. Pants, jeans, comfortable tops. Sure she'd occasionally put on a dress or skirt from time to time and all of her clothing did tend to run on the wild side. But her clothes were always comfortable.

Putting his hands into his pant pockets, his right hand brushed up against the velvet box. "I know I don't. But you do look beautiful."

Just the way he looked at her when he spoke to her made the already restless butterflies in her stomach start to flutter. Dear lord was it even legal for a man to look like that, to sound like that? "You look very nice too." He looked nice? What kind of crap was that? Had aliens landed and taken away her vocabulary skills? Next thing she knew she'd be telling him that she was having a swell time, then start giggling like some annoying little twit.

Sensing her discomfort, Jason sighed and took a step back. Where was the woman that was doing tequila shots from the night before? "So are you ready for this?"

Licking her lips, she made the huge mistake of looking up into his eyes. It was like some freaky magnetic pull that sucked her in and held her captive. First her vocabulary skills, now her damn motor functions. One thing was clear. Jason Morgan just wasn't good for her health. "Elizabeth?"

Shaking her head, she tried to smile. Really when had smiling become such a hard task to accomplish?Do not stutter. Do not stutter. "R-Ready?" The dinner, stupid. "Oh, yeah. Brenda quizzed me all afternoon."

That wasn't exactly what he'd meant. He was more concerned about how she was feeling. Not whether or not she knew how he took his coffee. But seeing that the direction she'd chosen relaxed her some, he sighed and went along with it. "So we met?"

"When you came out to visit Emily last year. Our first date?"

"A ride up to Red Rocks, then we ate at a small Mexican restaurant in Evergreen." Jason had been to both spots, years ago while driving cross-country on his motorcycle. "Siblings?"

"AJ with the sweaty hands and a nasty habit of puking on people and of course Emily. Plus there's Skye, who I don't know much about. Me?"

"Steven and Sarah. What do you mean sweaty hands?"

Elizabeth grimaced. "It's nothing. How do I take my coffee?"

"You don't, you like hot chocolate. Is there something I should know about you and my brother?" Reaching out and taking her elbow, Jason didn't know why, but the answer was very important to him.

"Eww. No!" The look of disgust had Jason relaxing again.

"What hand do I eat with?"

"What? Are you kidding me?" Taken aback slightly, Elizabeth racked her mind. "I don't know."

"Right. Okay so that was a little unfair. Where did I propose?"

"Near the craps tables." Her eyes flared as she slapped a hand over her mouth. How did she know that? She had meant to say in Aspen during Christmas break. Her brows knotted as she struggled to remember something, anything.

"Do you remember something?" His hand moved down from her elbow to her hand, he waited.

"No. I've been trying." Placing her free hand against her forehead, Elizabeth let out a frustrated groan.

"I'm sure if you don't push yourself you'll start to remember more." Gently squeezing her hand, Jason looked down at their entwined fingers. He needed to give her the rings. But for the life of him he didn't know how to go about it. He couldn't just shove the box into her hands and tell her to put them on. He also had no idea how to bring up the subject, or to give them to her without it making him sound pathetic.

He was acting like an idiot. Like she might not except the rings or something. "I have one last thing."

"Your favorite mode of transportation is your motorcycle." An impish smile touched her lips, creating a smile dimple on her cheek. Her eyes twinkled slightly. He was blindsided. "You don't know how to cook. You've been caught more than once dealing from the bottom of the deck when you play poker. You drink too much coffee. Have terrible taste in woman. And you're bossy."

"I think you're spending too much time with Brenda." Jason grunted, not too sure he liked what he was hearing.

"You also love children. You hate your family as much as I dislike mine. You're loyal and committed once you give your word." She had no idea where she found the strength to say so much. But her mouth just seemed to have a mind of it's own.

Feeling the tops of his ears burning, Jason cleared his throat. "Well I don't know about all that. But what I was going to say is that I have this for you." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the box and slowly opened the lid. He heard he deep intake of breath and chanced a look in her direction.

Slipping her hand out of his, Elizabeth's hands were shaking. The rings were perfect. There were three of them. An engagement ring and wedding band for her, and a larger band for him. The bands were white gold, but more importantly the diamond was set in the band. "No prongs."

"I didn't think someone who painted everyday would want to clean paint out of the prongs all the time." Taking the two rings out of the box, he lifted her left hand and slipped them on her ring finger. "Emily said your hands were the same size, so they should fit."

They were the exact rings she had always dreamed of. Not big and flashy, just the right size. The metal glimmered, the diamond sparkled. "Jason this is too much."

"You're the wife of a very successful coffee importer. I really don't think-."

"No." Shaking her head and lifting out her hand to look. "I mean, this should be a ring that you buy someone you love. I just don't feel right wearing it. Just a gold band would've been good enough." With a sad sigh she started to twist off the bands, stopping when Jason covered her hands with his.

"I want you to have them." His voice was sincere. "Besides they match mine." Taking the last ring out, he quickly slipped it on and held it up for her to see.

"Fine. But I can't keep them."

Jason took a looked away, unable to look at her in the face. Taking a deep breath, he was about to talk when the bedroom door slammed open and Brenda came teetering out. "Let's get this show on the road." Tripping over the long hem of her dress she crumbled into a pathetic pile on the floor. "I'm okay."


	17. Chapter 17

Riding up the elevator, to the top floor of the Casino, Elizabeth came to a startling conclusion. She was being a nitwit. A complete and total brainless flake. The epiphany had come crashing in on her when she had caught Sonny watching before they left his suite. His chocolate brown eyes were a mixture between pity and concern. Making her all of a sudden feel like some weak defenseless scatterbrain that couldn't figure out how to twist the cap off a toothpaste tube without assistance. The feeling wasn't one she was used to, or one that she liked all that much.

Where in the hell was her spunk? Her sense of adventure? She'd always been known as the wild child. The one who jumped in with two feet without looking? Did it somehow vanish with her virginity? Her cherry got popped and so did her personality? Perhaps Emily was right, she was reading way too many sappy romance novels.

Okay so there were a few bumps in the road that had thrown her. Leaving her on her ass, slightly dazed and out of focus. But it was to be expected... right? Overnight she'd become a married woman to a complete stranger. She really couldn't say that she remembered her wedding, or her wedding night. But under the circumstances things could have been worse. She could've found herself married to some insurance agent from Toledo, who was in town for some kind of seminar and the all-you-can-eat buffet.

Instead her current husband was the walking meaning of sin. Everything about Jason Morgan was intense. From his ruggedly handsome facial features, to the air of power that just oozed from him. Most men with these qualities generally ended up being jerks. High on themselves and the authority they had over others. But not Jason, he had been gentle with her, actually concerned how she was holding up under the circumstances.

So this was how she saw it. She needed to stop thinking of this as the end of the world. She hadn't been a victim, but a participant. It was Spring Break, in a week this would all be over. She and Emily would be back in Boulder counting the days until summer vacation. Stuck with Frat parties and trying to sneak into Smitty's bar to shoot some pool. All of this would be a memory. So why not live it up a little?

"Well thank God." Emily grumbled under her breath bringing Elizabeth out of her thoughts. "Welcome back to earth." Jason watched the shared look between the two females and felt that he'd missed something. Emily seemed to relax some, as a sly grin spread across her face. "So are you all done now with your Southern Belle act? Or do I need to stock up on the smelling salts."

"All better now." Grinning back at her friend, Elizabeth pulled herself up a little taller.

"It's about time. You're usually the mastermind behind all our plans. I never realized how tiring it could be." Both young women ignored the strange stares they were getting from the three other occupants in the elevator. "It's good to see the Webber spirit is alive and well."

"Morgan." Elizabeth corrected her friend with ease.

"What?"

"You need to remember that my last name is Morgan." Straightening her dress, Elizabeth looked back up Emily. "That's the whole reason for doing this right?"

Emily opened her mouth to reply, but the look on her brother's face made her pause. She could've sworn he looked slightly pleased with himself that Elizabeth had just admitted she was a Morgan and no longer a Webber.

Brenda moaned and pressed her face against Sonny's shoulder. "I can't watch. It's almost like seeing a car wreck before it happens." Sonny hushed his fiance and sent Jason an apologetic smile.

Elizabeth and Emily's heads turned toward Brenda at the same time, and then they looked at one another and shrugged.

Jason scrutinized the beautiful woman standing in front of him. Something significant had just happened. He couldn't tell what, since no one had said a word up until this point. It just seemed as though she'd snapped out of whatever trance she'd been in. She was standing a little taller, energy seemed to buzz off her.

Whatever had happened, it seemed to put Emily at ease some. Both girls were grinning at one another as if they knew a secret no one else knew. His sister reached out and fixed one of Elizabeth's stray curls, patting it into place.

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. To his utter shock, Elizabeth grabbed his much larger hand with her smaller one. Looking down at her, his puzzlement apparent, she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Are you ready?" Her voice was strong, not awkward like it had been. He found himself at a loss of words. This wasn't the mortified woman that had run from his room this morning. Or the one that looked like she was ready to burst into tears back at her suite. This Elizabeth looked capable of handling anything thrown her way and then some.

Her eyes practically glowed, her skin slightly flushed. It had him wondering which one of her personalities he had met last night and married. He'd put all the money he had in his off shore accounts that this was the woman that had caught his attention the night before. The woman that would let him take body shots off her without giving it a second thought.

He let her pull him out into the hallway, and his heart nearly stopped when she dropped his hand and fixed his lopsided tie. The diamond on her left hand sparkled brightly as she smoothed down his jacket. Okay who was this woman and where did the shy, bashful one he'd met that morning go?

They were standing outside the entrance of the large ballroom, waiting while Francis went inside to announce them. It was apparent that Brenda was having some difficulty standing on her own, even with Sonny's arm around her tiny waist for support. Emily watched in amusement as Elizabeth fussed over Jason, shaking her head at her friends over the top antics.

It was weird watching her best friend with her brother. Even stranger, it was almost frightening how right the two looked together. Now that Elizabeth was done with her mini meltdown and had returned to her former glory, Emily couldn't help but look at them in a different light.

Jason still hadn't said a word, but his eyes gave him away. He was interested. Not just a little intrigued, like he wanted to get to know her better. But interested like he really wanted to get to know her better. His clear blue eyes practically drank in every movement she made every smile that curved on her lips. Emily could feel her own cheeks flaming when her brother's gaze dropped to Elizabeth's chest and lingered there. Oh yeah, her brother was extremely interested in getting to know his new wife. The thought would've bothered her some, if Elizabeth hadn't shown signs of interest herself.

They were flirting and she was going to lose her lunch. It was one thing to watch your best friend flirt. Had in fact been a witness to Elizabeth's flirting a time or two. But to be forced to witness her older brother, flirt with said best friend. Eww.

Francis stepped into the hallway and cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. Opening the door for his employers, he held his breath. Several times he'd tried to get Jason's attention in the elevator. He needed to warn him about Mrs. G having met Carly. But every time he'd tried to make eye contact, Jason's eyes were glued on the new Mrs. Morgan.

Before Jason could enter the room, Francis stepped forward. "Jase I need to talk to you... It's important."

Jason looked down at Elizabeth, then back at his guard. Looking into the other man's eyes, Jason nodded. "Can you wait here for a moment?" Before she could answer he dropped her hand and walked away a few steps. Francis close behind.

"What is it?" Looking over to where Elizabeth was standing, Jason let out a long sigh and turned his attention back to Francis.

"There was a slight problem this afternoon."

"What problem?" He didn't like the way Francis was stalling.

"Well Mrs. G came by your room this afternoon to invite the new Mrs. Morgan out for some shopping." Placing a meaty finger in his collar, he pulled at it.

"And?"

"Well Max tried telling her that the two of you were out...but then Carly-"

"Please don't tell me Carly met Mrs. Gianni." Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason squeezed his eyes shut.

"I...Well...Christ Jason it wasn't like Max introduced the two of them. Carly came barging into the hall thinking that it was you."

"So she thinks that Carly is Elizabeth?"

"No she thinks Carly is your little side dish you invited on your honeymoon."

Jason eyes darkened. "Why would she think that?"

"Because she introduced herself as your fiance." This time the guard gulped and took a step back. His boss looked ready to plummet something and it was never a healthy thing to be in his way.

Carly. He'd forgotten about her. After shopping with Emily he'd gotten ready in Sonny's suite. Christ how could he have forgotten about the toxic blonde in his room? That was like a General forgetting that they had Napalm stored near a high flame.

His fiance? They barely could live together, how did she come to the conclusion that he'd ever marry her? Now he had to go and introduce his wife to a woman who thought he had his whore in town with him.

"Did Max get her on a flight tomorrow?"

"Yeah. Ten o'clock."

That meant he had to talk to her after the dinner party. Make her understand that what ever she thought was going on between the two of them definitely didn't include a short trip down the aisle anytime soon. He'd hoped for a little more time. So he could figure out a way so he wouldn't lose Michael.

"Thanks." Slapping Francis on the back, Jason walked pass him.

"Hey Jase what are you gonna do about Mrs. G?"

"I have no idea." Muttering under his breath, me met Elizabeth's concerned eyes and gave her a small smile. When he reached her side he took her small hand into his. "So are you ready Mrs. Morgan?"

Elizabeth's heart fluttered and she gave a quick nod. "As ready as I'll ever be."


	18. Chapter 18

Elizabeth stood wide-eyed at the entrance of the ballroom, her tiny hand firmly encased in Jason's strong one. Up until a few years ago her parents had forced her to accompany them to several dinner parties thrown by collogues and acquaintances. Formal ones dinners, elegant balls, and the occasional smaller personal gatherings. But this? Never in a million years would she see something like this thrown by one of her parent's politically correct and perpetually annual friends.

It wasn't the size or the way the grand room was decorated. Nor were the dinner settings that sparkled and shined on the twenty some tables different from what she expected. She'd seen hundreds of chandeliers like the one hanging from the ceiling. It was wide assortment of people that filled the room. On the most part, they looked happy to be there. Laughs rang out around the room over the loud murmur. To say that she wasn't used to this was an understatement.

What she was accustomed to was polite, softly spoken greetings that left a person frostbitten. Tension radiating from the overly wound-up, self-centered, self-absorbed power-hungry cynics, her parents called friends. Conversations were only initiated to pimp ones political or professional careers. No one asked or cared about one another's families or personal lives. Unless of course it was lowered whispers about ones cheating spouse or so and so's children in drug rehab.

But here? It was like stepping into a huge family reunion. Animated faces joked and laughed. People hugged with gusto. Cheeks were kissed in warmth. The entire room reeked of happiness.

She could get used to this.

"Wow." Her voice below a whisper, Elizabeth wasn't surprised that Jason had heard her.

"I know." He muttered, his collar already feeling as though it were two sizes smaller than it had been in Sonny's suite. "These things can be a little overwhelming."

Giving a very unlady like grunt, one that would send her mother into one of her famous snits, Elizabeth looked around the room. "Are you kidding? Compared to what I've been subjected to, this is heaven."

"What do you mean?" Pulling her further into the room, he looked around for Sonny and the others.

"To start with, I don't have this overwhelming desire to slice my wrists open with a dull butter knife before the first course." Jason looked over to her sharply, his brows drawn together. Elizabeth instantly remembered what Emily had once told her about Jason taking things very literally. "It's an expression. There's no need to worry. I want throw myself off the roof until after dessert." He didn't look too convinced, and she told herself it was wrong to be amused by his behavior.

"Well Mr. Morgan you're a hard man to track down." An older woman stepped away from a large group and approached them.

Jason tensed immediately.

"You must be Elizabeth." The large friendly smile the other woman offered reached her chocolate colored eyes. "I'm Isabelle Gianni."

Elizabeth liked the woman immediately. She glowed of honesty and kindness. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Gianni." Years of social training and lessons in etiquette had her putting out her hand without thought.

Bella looked at the petite hand and laughed. Instead she gathered Elizabeth into a warm embrace and kissed her on the cheek. "None of that. We're family here. Call me Bella."

Not wanting to tell the older woman that in her family hugging wasn't something that happened, Elizabeth threw caution to the wind and hugged back. "Thank you so much for throwing us this party at such short notice."

Bella's elegant eyebrow arched, as she looked over at Jason. "I'm impressed Jason. I never imagined you could get such a well-mannered and polite woman to marry you. I pictured you more the blonde rabid type who were more interested in your checking account and shopping." The words weren't lost on him, as he leaned in and kissed the woman on her soft cheek.

"I'm lucky that way I guess." Their eyes met briefly. He could sense her displeasure and knew that she had a few words for him when she could talk to him privately. It made him uncomfortable. Almost as though his mother had caught him doing something naughty and was waiting for the right time to lay into him.

"So Elizabeth how long will you be here?"

"Until the end of the week. I go back to Boulder..." Her face flushed immediately. Good God, I'm not here more than two minutes and I'm already messing up. "To pack up my things. There's so much I need to get done before I move to Port Charles."

"I see." Bella nodded slowly. "I hear that you're an art student. I sure hope you don't throw away your education so early in your life."

"Bella leave the poor kids alone." Hector Gianni joined the small group, kissing his wife on the cheek. "Elizabeth when my brother John told me that Mr. Morgan had married this morning I thought I hadn't heard him correctly. I guess I never saw him as the marrying type. But after seeing you I can see why he did." Picking up her hand and placing a soft kiss on her knuckles, he grinned at her with enough charm to rival Sonny. "With the exception of my wife, you are one of the most exquisite woman I have had the pleasure of meeting." Elizabeth's cheeks reddened by the unaccustomed attention she was receiving.

"You'll have to excuse my husband." Bella smiled, her eyes filled with love as she glanced up at him. "He has the tendency to go above and beyond at times." Hector only grinned. "I'm going to find John and Maureen. I know their both dying to meet Mrs. Morgan."

Watching the suave older man walk away, Elizabeth took a deep breath. Was there something about being in the Mob that made men this... Attractive? Charming? Alluring? She'd envisioned them to been heartless and filled with hate.

"Well I won't monopolize your time. But I would love to get together before you leave for lunch, maybe some shopping?" Bella's suggestion sounded suspiciously like a definite plan.

"I'd really like that." Smiling softly, Elizabeth watched her walk away and start to talk to another group of friends. "She's..."

"Intense?" Jason finished for her.

"No."

"Motherly?" His lips twitched.

"With out a doubt." Elizabeth laughed. "I've never met anyone like her before." Still watching Mrs. Gianni socialize with the guests, she didn't notice when Sonny, Brenda and Emily joined them.

"So I see you met Bella." Brenda's words were less slurred, but her eyes still held a glassy gaze. "She's nice." A corky grin spread across the beauty's face. "If you ever need any lessons on how to train your man, she's the woman to go to." Sonny groaned at the memory of the first time Brenda had gone out for lunch with the other woman. "Plus that woman knows how to shop."

Emily was standing quietly staring off at the corner of the room. Elizabeth followed her gaze and wasn't surprised to see Johnny standing in the shadows. Shaking her head, she felt bad for her friend. Emily was in love. Not just a little schoolgirl crush. Or a passing moment kind of caring. And even though she'd never said the words out loud. But Elizabeth wasn't blind, nor was she deaf. Her friend had it bad.

"Earth to Emily?" Elizabeth leaned over and whispered into her friend's ear. "If you don't blink your eyes may dry up and fall out of your head."

"Uh-huh." Nodding numbly, Emily sighed slightly before blinking a few times. "Huh? Did you say something?"

"Why don't you go and talk to him?" Giving her a gentle push, Emily resisted and shook her head.

"I can't. He's made it clear that he doesn't want anything more from me than friendship." A flash of pain went through Emily's eyes.

"So friends don't say hi?"

"Elizabeth I can't." Shaking her head sadly, Emily shook herself out of her private pity party. "Besides he's right. It'd never work. He's too old for me. One of Sonny and Jason's employees." Reciting the words he'd spoken to her last year, Emily turned her back on him. Out of sight, out of mind and all that crap.

"Yeah well, I still think he'd being stupid." Whispering her support, she looked at Jason who was talking silently to Sonny. The other man looked less than thrilled.

The sound of clinking against a glass hushed the room. Elizabeth stepped closer to Jason, whose conversation with Sonny had been halted. "Ladies and Gentlemen, can we have your attention please." The room quieted, as everyone turned to look towards the dance floor.

Hector and John Gianni stood in the center of the dance floor. Both had identical grins on their faces, holding glasses of champagne in their hands. Once they had everyone's attention, John cleared his throat. "First we'd like to thank everyone for showing up on such short notice. But mostly we here today to celebrate the marriage between Jason and Elizabeth Morgan." Elizabeth felt everyone's eyes turn to her and Jason, her cheeks reddened at the attention. "Most of you already know that Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan will soon be business partners, but more importantly family." A round of cheers erupted through out the room.

"So when word came to us this morning of Jason and Elizabeth's quick marriage we couldn't let them get away with not having a family dinner to celebrate. Jason...Elizabeth. I wish you many years of happiness and joy. May you be blessed by several children and even more midnight feedings. May your love always keep you warm when the cold winds of life blow at your door." He lifted his glass and the room of strangers followed suit. From the corner of the room, someone tapped their glass loudly and soon the entire room was filled with the sound.

They wanted her and Jason to kiss. Crap. She could do this. Deep breath, check. No passing out, check. Turning to Jason, she saw that he was already looking down at her. His eyes looked doubtful as his hands lifted to cup her face. It seemed to take forever for him to lower his head to hers. A millennium before his lips pressed against hers.

The first kiss was chaste, hesitant. But Jason touched his lips to hers again, this time a little firmer. He didn't know what caused him to do it. Or why one of his arms dropped and wrapped tightly around her waist so he could pull her closer to him. He was stunned when her tongue touched his bottom lip, but he didn't let it stop him from opening his mouth to her.

Soon the room melted away and all he was aware of was the woman in his arms. The havoc she created inside him made his head slightly dizzy. When her hand ran its way up his arm, to his shoulder to stop at the base of his neck, he was embarrassed by the very male way his body responded.

They both heard someone clearing their throat from behind. And with great reluctance their kiss ended. Stepping apart from one another, their eyes connected and they just stood there in a daze.

"Wow." Brenda and Emily said at once, as they looked at one another.


	19. Chapter 19

The dinner was wonderful. The food sinful, the conversation comfortable. And Elizabeth enjoyed every blessed moment of it. It was hard to remember that this wouldn't last. That in less than a week she and Emily would be on a plane back to Colorado and the charming man at her side would be on his way back to his life in New York.

Though Jason wasn't the biggest talker in the world, just his presence at her side made her feel complete. She could feel his eyes on her at all times. Whether she was talking to Mrs. G about her art. Or laughing with Emily while her friend dished on one of their many adventures. Usually being under someone's scrutiny made her nervous. But with Jason she felt alive.

In-between courses he'd take her hand under the table. Twining his fingers through hers. His thumb rubbing small circles on the back of her hand. It set the butterflies off in her stomach. Made her breath catch in her throat as her cheeks stained a deep crimson.

When they were like that. Sitting side by side. Their shoulders almost touching. The rest of the room would melt away. It was silly for her to feel this way. She knew it. And also knew she was going to end up hurt when it was time to end this masquerade.

"Elizabeth I must admit, I'm dying to see some of your work." Mrs. G set her napkin on the table, her eyes sparkling in anticipation. "Next time you come I insist you bring some of your pieces."

"I..." Caught of guard, Elizabeth stumbled to grasp onto an intelligible response. "I'm really not all that good. I'm sure you've seen better."

"Don't be silly." Waiving off Elizabeth's insecurity, Mrs G flashed Elizabeth a warm grin. "Just talking to you. Seeing the passion shining in your eyes. I'm positive that you are a lot better than you give yourself credit for."

"Momma," Mr. Gianni chastised his wife in a loving manner. "Leave the poor girl alone. If you don't behave yourself Jason may not bring his beautiful wife back again."

"Pfft." Everyone at the table laughed at the older woman's response.

The band took that opportune time to change from the quiet dinning tunes, to ones that were more suited for dancing. Elizabeth was momentarily relived of anymore of the older woman's questions and not a moment too soon.

"Can I have everyone's attention?" Mr Gianni stood from the table. "I know this dinner is rather late to be considered a reception. But seeing that our little love birds were too impatient to tie the knot, I thought the least they deserved was the first dance together."

The room erupted in a round of applause, causing Elizabeth to shrink back in her chair and pray that a man eating hole would open up beneath her. Everyone in the room was staring at them. Waiting for her and Jason to head toward the dance floor. Knowing her luck, she'd trip on the hem of her dress. Or step on Jason's feet on the dance floor.

Feeling Jason stand from his chair and stand directly behind hers, Elizabeth sought out Emily's eyes for some friendly support. With a nod and a smile of encouragement from her, Elizabeth stood from her seat and took Jason's offered hand.

Making their way to the dance floor, Jason kept his eyes on the woman at his side. She was utterly amazing. He could tell that she had enchanted their dinning companions with her vibrant charm and accepting manner. Surprisingly enough she seemed at ease with everyone. Didn't seem to bat an eye that she was dinning with some of the most dangerous and powerful members of the mob.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" Stopping in the middle of the dance floor, Jason set his free hand on her waist.

"Are you kidding? This is the best dinner party I've ever been to." Resting her hand on his wide shoulder, she sighed contentedly into his chest.

Jason's eyes flickered up and scanned the room. His chest swelled in pride at the longing glances on the other males faces. He knew the vision his new wife made. And apparently so did the other men in the room.

"Have I told you how beautiful you are tonight?" Pulling away so he could get a better look at her face, Jason was rewarded with her impish grin.

"I'd tell you how handsome you look. But seeing that Mrs. G's niece has been practically eating you with her eyes, I'd hate to give you an ego."

Pulling her closer, her thighs brushing up against his, Jason cleared his throat at the contact. "Come on she was not." Trying to keep his tone light he couldn't seem to achieve the effect with her pressed so close up against him.

"Please. I thought she was going to swallow her tongue when you said hi." She could feel heat radiating off him through his tux and the thin clingy fabric that constituted for her evening gown. It was hypnotic, his heat, the feeling of his muscular body next to hers, even the way he looked at her. As though she were the only one in the room he was interested in being with. She could live in this moment for the rest of her life. Feeling protected, wanted. By a man who was sexier than sin.

"Well at least I didn't have some poor sap spilling his Merlot down the front of him at dinner."

Her eyes opened wide at his teasing. "That wasn't my fault, all I did was laugh at his lame joke."

His brow raised as he spun her around and brought her back up against him. Everyone in the room clapped before picking up their glasses and tapping their knives gently against the rim.

"Why are they doing that?" Jason looked around slightly bewildered.

"They want us to kiss."

"What? Why?" Clearly not understanding, Jason's brow gathered.

"It's some hokey wedding tradition. It's one of the reasons people come to Las Vegas to elope. That and the pathetic garter toss."

"Garter toss?"

"Groom takes the garter off the bride's leg with his teeth then throws it at a group of drooling bachelors. Haven't you been to any weddings?"

"Not like that." Shaking his head, the side of Jason's mouth ticked up. "I feel like I lost out here. Had I known about the garter toss I might have held out for a big traditional wedding."

Elizabeth's eye bulged at his teasing. "Ha, ha."

"Well?" Looking over his shoulder at the waiting guests, Jason turned back to face her. "I guess they're waiting."

Her eyes flew to his lips. Her pulse quickened. "I suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting." Lacing her hand into the short hair at the base of his neck, Elizabeth made the first move. Not only startling herself, but Jason as well. Pulling his head down to hers, her eyes stayed connected to his mouth. The way it opened slightly the closer it got. How soft it looked when they were just inches away.

But nothing would've prepared her for the electric zing that shot through her body. Reaching every nerve ending in her body, Elizabeth moaned in shock. It wasn't until Jason's hand spread out on her lower back, bringing her flush against him that she really lost control of her ability to think clearly.

"Hey Jase!"Sonny's voice called out over the catcalls. "Let the poor girl breath."

Jason and Elizabeth pulled apart. Both their breathing shallow as they fought to control the burning lust running through their veins like wildfire.

Licking her lips, Elizabeth grasped onto the lapels of his jacket. Her legs shaking. "Wow."

"If we kissed like that last night, no wonder we got married." Jason couldn't believe he'd said that. But to his defense he wasn't thinking all that clearly. His mind was more on dragging the small brunette off the dance floor, past the dinner guests, through the door and right to the nearest room.

"Wow."

"I think you covered that already." Laughing at her dazed look, Jason hooked a finger under her chin. He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "You okay."

"Uh-huh."

"Good, cause here comes Sonny. If I don't know my attention hogging pal, I think he's gonna cut in." True to his word, Sonny appeared. His dimples blinding as he asked for a chance to dance with the bride.

"Only if you give her back." Jason eyes flirted with his young bride as he stepped away without another word.

"Well you two looked...comfy." Sonny teased. "I don't think I've seen Jason smile this much the entire time I've known him."

Elizabeth didn't know what to say to this. She'd be a liar if she didn't say that she was slightly thrilled by Sonny's admission. But then again what was he going to say? "You don't have to say that."

"There's something you need to know about us Elizabeth. We never say things that we don't mean. It's a waste of time." Other couples joined them on the dance floor.

"I think I spent my life surrounded by people who made it their lives pursuit to never tell the truth." Her mouth tightened as she remembered her childhood surrounded by ladder climbing, money hungry, back stabbing liars.

"Didn't sound like much of a childhood." Sonny's tone was soft, supportive, honest.

"It could've been worse. I could have been raised by rabid wildebeests." Trying to change the mood of the conversation, Elizabeth grinned at the man who wasn't buying her act.

"Fine." Sonny laughed. "I can take a hint. If you don't mind I'm going to go and ask my intoxicated fiancé to dance."

"Go for it. Though why you let her have those four glasses of wine with dinner I'll never know." Kissing Sonny on the cheek, Elizabeth blushed at the dimpled smile he graced her with again.

"Elizabeth you will soon learn that no one. And I mean no one. Has the ability to tell Brenda what to do. We're alike that way." With a friendly smile Sonny went to Brenda's side and offered his hand to her.

"Do I need to worry about you and Sonny?" Jason's voice whispered into the shell of her ear as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pull her back against him.

"I thought you were dancing with Emily." Turning around, she met his boyish grin. Was Sonny being honest when he said that he hadn't seen Jason smile so much?

"I was. But one of Mrs. G's grandsons cut in." Looking over in the direction where Emily was dancing, Elizabeth saw the less than thrilled expression on her friends face. But it was Johnny's expression a few feet away that really caught Elizabeth's attention. He looked ready to tear the drooling dolt away from Emily.

"In a little while Sonny and I have a meeting with the Gianni's. Will you and the other two trouble makers be able to stay out of mischief?"

Narrowing her eyes in mock anger, Elizabeth tsked him. "I think that you've heard too many stories from you sister."

"I wouldn't worry so much if they weren't true. Want to talk about the time you were arrested for indecent exposer?"

"If I said no would you let it drop?"

Shrugging his massive shoulders, Jason cocked his head to the side. "Perhaps for now."

"Don't look now, but Sonny's trying to get your attention."

"You're saved...for now. But I have a feeling that I'm missing out on one hell of a good story." Leaning over to kiss her forehead, Jason gave her hand a squeeze before signaling over to Johnny. Silently telling the bodyguard to keep his eye on the females.

Once the men had left the room. Elizabeth wandered back to her seat. If she didn't sit down soon her legs were going to give out on her. Jason seemed to have the ability to make her weak when he was near. His strength and power was a lot to take in.

Emily was still on the dance floor trying to untangle herself from her admirer. Brenda was over in the corner talking to Mrs G and a group of woman.

"She's pretty and all. But do you really think that she can keep a man's attention like Jason Morgan?" A females voice came from behind her. Barely above a whisper, Elizabeth still felt as though the woman was yelling.

"I heard that he brought his mistress with him." The snide words were sharply spoken.

"Not even married twenty-four hours." Tsked another female.

"Well Mrs. G may think the princess is something special, but I guess we all know how she is in the bedroom." The women laughed. Making Elizabeth to ball her hands into fists.

She had no reason to be mad. She knew that her marriage to Jason was a lie. That he had a life back in Port Charles. But how in the hell had she forgot about Carly? And how in the hell did the other woman know about her being here?

Standing up, her back straight. Her head held up high. She walked over to where Emily was dancing and interrupted. "I'm sorry. But can I talk to my friend please?"

The young Gianni flashed a smile he probably thought was charming and made his leave.

"Are you okay? You look ready to murder." Emily said with a concerned tone.

"Let's just say that I was brought back to reality." Brushing a curl away from her face, Elizabeth licked at her lips. Tears were burning in eyes. "Can we just go, please?"

Emily looked over to where Brenda was standing and caught the other woman's eye. Brenda excused herself and met them on the dance floor. "What's up?"

"Elizabeth wants to go."

"It's nothing big." Her eyes flickered over to the woman who were staring back at her.

Brenda's eye's narrowed. "Elizabeth did someone say something?"

"No...yes. I really don't want to talk about it."

"Elizabeth?"

"Fine. I over heard a group of woman talking about how I'm not woman enough for Jason. And you know what? They're right. I can't believe I allowed myself to get sucked in like that. God I can be so freaking stupid."

Reaching out, Brenda touched Elizabeth's arm. Her eyes blazed with furry. "No Elizabeth, you aren't stupid. Those women over there are snakes. They're poisonous, vicious and willing to attack anything that moves. They're a dime a dozen and not worth your time."

"I know, but..."

"It still hurts." Emily's smile was faint. "Come on lets go."


	20. Chapter 20

It really was a shame but what else could she do? Staring down at the unconscious guard, Carly shrugged her slender shoulders and dropped the serving tray to the ground. Was it her fault that the man had the intelligence of the village idiot? No. She saw her chance and she took it. Who knew when she was going to get her next chance to escape.

Stepping over Max's unmoving body, she made her way to the bathroom mirror. Reapplying her ruby red lipstick, she used her pinky finger to remove any excess around her lips. Running her fingers through her hair and readjusting her bra, she gave herself a satisfied nod before turning around and walking out of the bathroom and hotel suite.

"Now Maxie sweetie don't you go anywhere." A vicious smile crossed her lips. Grabbing her purse and tossing it lazily over her shoulder Carly waived at the man.

Sauntering down the hall. Her hips swaying. Head held up high. She was on a mission. One that was a long time in the making. Jason Morgan forgot who he was dealing with. The one who held the cards in their relationship and it was high time she reminded him.

"Can we please just go?" Her voice pleaded, as Elizabeth glanced over her shoulder at the piranhas who were staring back.

"Ah no." Brenda's brow shot up. "Those women," her upper lip curled in disgust. "If you want to call them that. Can't get away with saying stuff like that about you. Besides the fact that you're the wife of one of the most powerful men on the eastern seaboard, you are a hundred times better than those cold fishes. The sooner they realize this the better."

"But I'm not." Shaking her head, Elizabeth backtracked. "I mean I know I'm better than they are. It's the part about being Jason's wife that's not true."

Folding her arms under her breasts, Brenda smirked. "Do you have a ring?"

Like a magnet her eyes shot to the shiny object on her ring finger. "Yes."

Not giving an inch, Brenda pushed on. "If I'm not mistaken, there's a marriage certificate somewhere that has your drunken signature on it."

"But that was a mistake."

"It doesn't matter Elizabeth. As far as everyone in this room is concerned you are Mrs. Jason Morgan. No one here knows that you and Jase got slobbering drunk and tied the knot." Deciding on a different approach, Brenda mouth curved. "Besides from where I was sitting tonight, even I almost forgot you two weren't the lovebirds you're pretending to be."

"I won't hold that against you. I think we all got a little carried away tonight." Brushing aside a few strands of hair out of her face, Elizabeth took the time to collect herself. She didn't just get a little carried away. She'd made a fool of herself. Staring at Jason all dreamy eyed, like some freaking love sick twit. For one brief moment she'd almost fell for the scam by thinking there was something going on between her and Jason.

"Yeah well if they didn't believe, after that kiss between you and my brother..." Emily let out a low whistle. "It was hot."

A crimson blush stained Elizabeth's cheeks. "It was all part of the act."

"Huh." Emily expression looked thoughtful. "I never knew you were such a great actress. Maybe you should give up that art major and seriously consider taking up theater."

Letting out a bark of laughter, Brenda clapped her hands over her mouth. Her eyes gleamed with amusement. "You should've seen Jason's face. He looked like someone had walked over his grave."

"Oh that's what every girl wants to hear. Her kisses makes a guy feel like death." Her dry words only caused more laughter. "Can we go now?"

"You really want to leave?" Brenda sighed.

Nodding, Elizabeth refused to look over at the women again. "You have no idea how badly."

"Fine." Looking over her tan shoulder to where Johnny was standing Brenda turned back around. "I suppose we should tell Johnny that we're going. Why don't you go tell him Emily while Elizabeth and I make our excuses with Mrs. G."

The blood drained out of Emily's face. "W-Why me?"

Brenda smiled sweetly at the younger girl while she took Elizabeth's hand and started to pull her away. "You don't mind do you?"

"Brenda." Hissing under her breath, Emily watched helplessly as Elizabeth and Brenda waived to her and headed off. "I'm going to get you two for this." Folding her hands under her breasts Emily stomped her foot. "This isn't funny."

Seeing that neither girl was going to turn around and rescue her, Emily took a shaky breath and groaned. "I can do this. I'm a big girl." Pulling herself up straight and holding her head up high, Emily hurried across the room to the corner Johnny was standing watch. She refused to notice how mouth watering good he looked. His suit snug in all the right places. Wide shoulders. Slim waste. Thick thighs that she knew were rock hard. She also was completely ignorant of how his sandy blonde hair was brushed back with that one stubborn lock brushing his forehead.

All the way across the dining room, she gave herself a peptalk. A little along the lines of the Little Train that Could. Stopping a few feet away, she hated herself for not being able to look him in the eye. Not brave enough.

"We're gonna go." With the words out, she spun on her stacked heels and walked away.

"W-What?" His voice sounded miffed. "What about Sonny and Jase?" If she hurried she could make it to the traitors side. "Damn it Em...Will you just stop for a minute."

Twenty feet to go. Twenty-five at the most. Elizabeth and Brenda were leaving Mrs. G's side and heading back to the edge of the dance floor to wait for her. If she could just...

A hand snagged her from behind. Holding onto her upper arm in a vice like grip. Emily tried to yank away from him with no result.

Crap.

"What in the hell is going on?" His warm breath hit the back of her neck, making the hair on her arms rise. "We can't leave until Sonny and Jason get back."

"Oh, I think you'll find that we can. And we are."

"I was told to wait for Sonny and Jason."

A bitter laugh slipped from her mouth. "Well aren't you the good little slave?"

His fingers tightened and his voice sounded strained. "Not that again. I thought you understood why we can't be together."

"Oh get over yourself, will you? You don't honestly think that I care anymore." Even as the words came out of her mouth she knew she sounded like a spoiled brat. But she couldn't help it.

"Ouch. Aiming a little low nowadays aren't you?" And just like that his hand dropped. She heard him take a step back.

"Are we ready?" Brenda's slurred voice asked as she and Elizabeth joined them. Emily could only nod and the trio headed toward the exit. A low masculine grumble came from behind, but soon Johnny was following.

Jason was lost. Jabbing at the elevator button with enough force to break the panel, he ignored the bored expression on Sonny's face. He'd thought everything was going well. The dinner. Their dance. Damn even their kiss. She'd looked happy.

So why in the hell did she leave? He'd been looking forward to sharing a few more dances with her. Perhaps sneaking out of the party together. Go for a walk. Get to know her better. But all that had gone out the window when he'd walked in to the dinning room and realized that she wasn't anywhere in sight.

"Will you stop it?" Pulling him away from the front of the elevator, Sonny shook his head. "Maybe they were tired. It's been a long day for all of them."

Ignoring Sonny's words, Jason shoved his hands in to his pockets. "You don't think something happened do you?"

"Oh Jesus. You're so whipped." Holding up a hand at Jason's irritated look, Sonny tried to hide his amusement.

"Knock it off. I'm just concerned."

"Oh that's all? Well I guess it won't bother you then that Anthony Travoni was sneaking peeks down Elizabeth's dress all night."

Jason's mouth tightened as a dark expression fell across his face. "He better not have been."

"Jason I'm just as romantic as the rest of them-." Jason snorted, making Sonny raise his brow before continuing on. "But you've only known the girl for a day. Most of it you can't even remember. You can't force someone in life long commitment based on a day."

"What do you want me to do? Just ditch her? Tell her hey it was fun, maybe I'll see you around?"

"I'm not saying that. But Jase there's so many factors to consider. Your job, her education, where you two are going to live, Carly." The last word was barely a whisper, but to Jason's ears it sounded like a cannon going off.

"What about her?"

"She has leverage in this."

"Michael." His gut tightened as the image of the precious redhead flashed through his mind.

"You need to watch your step. Carly is a vindictive bitch. If she catches wind that you got married she'll make your life a living hell." Jason watched as the light lit up the little circles as the elevator headed down to his and Elizabeth's floor. After a quick call to Johnny he'd found out his little bride was already in their suite. "Jase I'm being serious. We need to come up with a plan. If you want to stayed married to Elizabeth, for whatever reason, you need something to keep that little boy."

"We'll come up with something." Dismissing the topic for the time being, Jason ran both hands through his hair in frustration.

Sonny studied his friend for a moment. "I tell you what. I'll take care of this. But I want you to do me a favor."

"What's that?"

"I want you to take the next couple of days to get to know your new wife. And then decide whether or not the two of you should stay married."

"Sonny-."

"No. I mean it. It's very honorable of you to want to stay with Elizabeth. But in the end it may hurt her more than help her. Who know the two of you may not even like one another. Maybe under that sweet smile and cute dimples she's a Carly in waiting."

Jason visibly shuddered at the thought. "No one can be that bad."

"No. Probably not. But you never know. Fine make me do this the hard way. I'm ordering you to spend time with your new wife. Get to know her. Take her out to a few nice restaurants. See a few shows..."

"I hate the shows."

"I know, but suck it up." Sonny's dimples nearly glowed. "So?"

"Fine."

"Good."

The elevator finally stopped and Jason didn't waste time in exiting the elevator. Bring his hand up in a half waive as he hurried down the hall.

Sonny rocked back and forth. "Oh how the mighty have fallen."


	21. Chapter 21

The hot water from the steamy shower did nothing to ease the heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach. It didn't matter that she used her favorite body wash. Or that there were at least twenty glowing candles scattered around the bathroom, thanks to Brenda. Nothing erased the memories of the night from her mind. She'd made such a fool of herself.

Just because he pulled out her chair. Held her hand. Smiled at her during the first second and third course. Danced with her like any adoring husband would. It didn't mean that he'd fallen victim to their little game. Feeling the same rush she experienced from the moment she spotted him looking so incredibly handsome in his tux.

And that kiss. Never in her entire life had she ever felt so alive. The moment their lips had met everything in her life seemed to just click together. All of the pieces just fit together. Made sense when her life was becoming some huge joke.

She was stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Men like Jason Morgan didn't fall for school girls like her. Their little sister's friends. With a boyish figure and practically non existent boobs. No, tall blonde and big boobed was more like it.

She was a little girl, playing on the adult playground. Those women had been right. She wasn't woman enough for someone like Jason. A frat boy at a keg party was more her speed. Clumsy, oafish boys she could handle. Oh, she knew the rules to the adult world. Had the training and polish to pull off a dinner party. But the man himself...

Looking down again at the ring on her finger, she moaned. "Good one Lizzie. Not only did you embarrass yourself, but Jason probably thinks you're the biggest fool."

"Is that why you left? You thought you made a fool of yourself?" His deep voice startled her. Causing her to spin toward the sound of his voice, almost slipping and ending up on her butt. Thank god for the frosted shower doors that separated them.

"J-Jason?" What a stupid thing to say. Of course it was him. Who else would be in their rooms after ten? But in her excuse her brain wasn't functioning correctly.

"Do you know how dangerous it was for the three of you to leave like that?" If she wasn't mistaken he sounded a little disgruntled.

A frown creased her brow. Not sure she appreciated having in invade the bathroom while she was showering to lecture her. "Johnny was with us."

"One guard, three women. Elizabeth I know this is all new to you. But Sonny and I aren't the most loved people in the world."

"We went out on our own last night..."

"And see how well that went?" This time he sounded amused. "Are you almost done? I think we should talk."

Looking down at her naked body, then back at the door that separated them. "I'll be done in just a minute."

"I'll be waiting for you in the living room." Jason took one last look at her silhouette and cursed darkly. What he would give to strip off his clothes and join. To be able to slid his hands down her soft curves. Hold her close, run his tongue over the smooth column of her neck. Wrap his arms around her slender waist, sink deep inside of her until she was panting his name.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he let himself out of the bathroom before he did something that would embarrass them both. He'd be a liar to say he didn't want her or that his manhood had taken a blow when he'd returned to the party and noticed her gone.

Walking around the suite, he didn't notice all the personal touches Johnny had been instructed to carry out. The scented candles, dim lighting or Champagne chilling on ice in the corner. What he had noticed was Elizabeth's dress balled up on the bedroom floor. Her shoes a few feet away along with her hose and garter belt.

Stopping at the window he let out a shaky breath. He needed to get a grip. Figure out how he was going to proceed from here. Sonny wanted him to spend some time with Elizabeth. No he'd ordered he spend time with his new wife. Out of all the orders he'd been given this was one of the best.

Honestly he didn't know what he was doing. Intelligence told him that he should end the marriage. Let her leave and live her life. She was still so young. Had so much promise, potential. Being married to him was going to change her life dramatically. But something primitive inside him wouldn't allow him to do the right thing.

He wanted her like he'd never wanted a woman before. It wasn't just physically. He'd had his fair share of women in his past. Hell he had one somewhere in the hotel. Could have Carly anytime he wanted her. But he didn't want her like that. What he wanted from her was her son. The little boy that meant the world to him.

"I hope you're not mad that we left." Elizabeth's soft voice floated over to him from the bedroom door. Spinning, his breath caught in his throat. Never in his life had he seen anything so beautiful. Standing awkwardly, in one of the hotel's fluffy towels she looked like an angel. Her wet hair hung in ringlets around her shoulders. A slight flush stained her throat and cheeks.

"No, just worried." Looking away, Jason scratched his temple. "I thought you were having a good time."

Elizabeth had a feeling that she'd hurt his feelings somehow. His face was guarded as he waited for her answer. "I was."

"Then why did you leave? Why do you think I would see you as a fool?"

Because she was a silly little girl who wished she could crawl into a nearby cave and live out the rest of her days. What was she supposed to say. That her feelings were hurt by some over padded middle-aged women. She realized what a love-sick little fool she was.

"It's nothing, just another Lizzie moment."

"I don't buy that." Jason shook his head. He could see the stubborn set of her chin and knew it was going to take ever ounce of patience he possessed to get the truth from her. "I could just ask Brenda."

Her eyes flared slightly before she shrugged her shoulders. "You're making a bigger deal out of this than what it is."

Jason studied her. She was good. Apparently his new wife was good at building walls and hiding behind them. Probably was good enough to fool most people. He wasn't most people. "Something happened."

It wasn't a question, but a statement. His inquisitive expression turned dark.

"No! Nothing happened." She sounded like a liar. If she were to look into a mirror she wouldn't be surprised to see liar written across her forehead. But she couldn't tell him. How embarrassing would that be? "So do you want to take the bed or the couch?"

"I want you to tell me what happened." Folding his arms over his chest, the back of his jacket stretched slightly, reminding him he could finally shed himself of the damn thing.

Elizabeth felt her mouth go dry as he hastily ripped off his jacket and toss it in the general direction of the couch. The man was huge. His hands were purely masculine as they rolled up his shirt sleeves. She wondered what they'd feel like against her breasts.

Stop! Her mind screamed as her body started to tighten. She was setting herself up for a fall. She had to be smart about this. "I-I'll take the couch. Just let me get dressed and the room is all yours." Mortified by her thoughts, she slipped back into the bedroom before he started asking more questions.

Shutting the door quietly behind her, Elizabeth let out a low groan. "Stupid, stupid, stupid." Slapping her hand against her forehead, she stopped and shook her head. Crossing to the room where her bags were placed she dug out her pale blue silk pajama bottoms and matching tanktop.

Throwing her robe on the bed, she took a quick look in the mirror above the dresser and made a face at her reflection. She was all skin and bone. How sexy was that? Turning to the side to stare at her side profile she shook her head in disgust.

Reaching out for the tanktop, she barely had it over her head when the bedroom door creaked open. Elizabeth watched in horror as Jason walked across the room to where his bags were and started digging through them. If he was aware that she was standing there half naked he didn't show it. His movements were calm and sure.

Grabbing the bottoms off the bed, she nearly toppled over as she tried to finish dressing. Her face scorching from embarrassment.

"You're not sleeping on the couch." Jason tossed the words out before tucking his shaving kit under his arm and entered the bathroom, leaving the door wide open. She watched as he stripped off his shirt, leaving him bare chested. Elizabeth held her breath as she watched in awe while he went about his nightly routine. The man was a god. His tan skin stretched over a chiseled frame. His movements were precise.

And he was staring right back at her. Shouldn't there be a law of how many times a person was humiliated in one day? Ten times sounded like a good round number.

His eyes were slightly narrowed, his mouth in a seductive little smirk.

Stumbling back a few steps, she felt the bed hit the back of her knees. Her stomach was doing those little flip flops again. Bed. She needed to crawl between the sheets, close her eyes and get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow she'd be able to think more clearly.

Settling her head on the cloud like pillow she barely had her eyes shut when she felt the bed dip. Her eyes shot open, staring in disbelief as Jason settled himself next to her. "I-I thought you were going to sleep on the couch."

Jason reached over and turned off the bedside lamp. "No, I told you I didn't want you sleeping on the couch."

"But..."

"Elizabeth this bed his huge. There is no reason why we can't share. I promise not to ravish your body without your consent." He fluffed his pillow, stopping to look over at her. "Or we could talk about what happened at the party."

Why that little sneak... "Goodnight." Turning over so her back faced him, Elizabeth could practically hear his shock. Apparently he thought he'd make her slightly uncomfortable she'd spill the beans. Jason Morgan needed to learn the most important lesson about her. She was stubborn. No matter how embarrassed she was, or how deep the humiliation hit, when she was determined not to do something there was no changing her mind.

Emily stalked through the door Johnny held open for her and slammed it in his face. What she wanted to do was open it again and slam it over and over again until her rage was spent. What did she ever see in him? He was a prick.

Flipping the lock before the over grown twit could reopen the door, Emily glared at the wood that separated them.

"Emily open this door."

Snorting Emily tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Or what? You did your job now scurry back to your masters."

"I swear to god, if you don't open this freakin door I'll kick it down Emily Quartermain."

"Not by the hair of my chinny chin, chin." Her flippant remark didn't make her feel better. But the frustrated growl did wonders.

"Have it your way." A loud slam made the door shake, making her jump to the side in shock. "Stand away from the door."

"Are you insane?" The door shook again and she hurried over to it, flipped the lock and threw the door open. "Are you happy now? Come on in Conan."

"What's wrong with you?" Not giving her a chance to close the door in his, Johnny hurried in. "I told you to wait."

Shrugging her shoulders, Emily tore at her wrap and dropped it to the ground. "It's not my fault you took so long to get to the elevator."

"You pushed the button to close the door before I could get there." He boomed in his defense.

"So what. You had to use the stairs, big whoops."

Growling several obscenities under his breath, Johnny wanted to shake her until her teeth clattered inside her head. Didn't she know how hard it was to see her like this? Having to stand to the side and watch her. Knowing that he couldn't talk to her. Make her laugh.

How painful it was not to be able to hold her close. His body ached with need. "So is this how it's gonna be every time we see each other?"

With a humorless laugh, Emily shook her head as she took out her earrings. "This was your choice, remember? I'm too young, too naive. Too much Jason's little sister."

"Jason would've killed me if he found out we were seeing each other behind his back. I'm an dick for keeping it a secret from him."

"Well you were right." Emily wanted to pick up objects and hurl them at his head. "I'm better off without you. College parties, college boys...I'm up to my neck in fun. A different guy every night..." Looking over her shoulder she watched as his face went from white to crimson red. "The frat boys are a little shallow. But once you get past that-."

"Shut up." Taking a step closer to her, Johnny's breathing came out in short rasps.

"But those football players." Licking her lips for effect, Emily made a little sexy sigh. "They sure know how to show a girl a good time-."

She didn't see him coming. For a large man she had forgotten how quick he could be. Grabbing her roughly by the shoulders, his lips were on hers before she could go on. His tongue slipped through he parted lips, demanding her to participate in the kiss.

Too soon he was pulling away. His eyes burning with rage. "I swear to god you better be joking Emily. Or I'll talk Jason into sending you to an all girl school... in Siberia."


	22. Chapter 22

Carly cursed her rotten luck. Now free of that horrible little hotel room, she had found herself faced with a bigger problem. She couldn't find Jason. Oh she'd searched every casino, restaurant and gift shop the damn hotel held. Keeping her eyes and ears open for any sign of Jason and Sonny's men. But after two hours she was starting to realize that her searching was getting her no where.

And it irritated the hell out of her.

She'd never been a patient person. Sitting around waiting for the right moment to make a move. It was stupid. She was a firm believer that if you wanted something take it. No one was going to give it to you and she never saw the point in waiting around 'for the right moment'. She was more the now kind of gal. Waiting only made her crazy. Plus she figured she'd done her fair share of waiting growing up in that run down trailer park in Florida.

But from the day she'd met Jason Morgan it seemed all that she ever did was wait. Waited from him to notice her. Then was forced to wait for him to take her up on her offers when his virginal little debutante couldn't give him what ever warm blooded male needed. The nine months of pregnancy had been hell. The waiting game to see if Jason would prove to be the man she had pegged him for. If it weren't for that little bitch Robin, things would've been so much smoother.

She would've been Mrs. Morgan by now. With all the influence, power, wealth and respect Jason Morgan's wife deserved. She'd been so freaking close. Had Jason wrapped around her little finger. But then that pale little nothing went and told everyone who'd listen her little secret.

From there on nothing went the way she had planned. First it was AJ, messing everything up when he'd found out he was Michael's father. Demanding his parental rights. Like that little lush could compare to his younger brother. But she'd stuck it out. Taking full advantage of the Quartermain name, until she couldn't take another night by that weasels side. Letting him touch her, putting his lips on hers. Just thinking about it made her sick. But she'd taken care of all that. Had taken the bull by the horns until she was back at Jason's side.

It didn't bother her that Jason didn't love her. It would've been nice, his feelings for her just another way she could manipulate him into doing what she wanted. But Michael's arrival had given her the biggest advantage. Jason's love for her son was the only thing she needed. Whenever she felt him pull away all she had to do was dangle Michael in front of his face to put him back in line.

The love Jason felt for Michael was practically a living thing. When the two of them were in the same room the emotion was almost enough to suffocate a person. All of Jason's passion and care were reserved only for her son. In a way it made her bitter that she was never good enough for his love. But if she got marriage out of the deal she wasn't above settling.

Standing in the front lobby, Carly studied a young man behind the counter. Not a bad looking man. Almost Jason's height, just as wide. The man's dark brown hair was brushed away from his face. But what really interested her was his flirtatious grin. The way his eyes seemed to brighten whenever a well-to-do female registered for a room.

The desk clerk was a kindred spirit. An opportunist that knew were to look. And her ticket to finding where Jason was hiding himself.

Straightening her dress and fluffing her hair, Carly was ready to make her move when a group of well dressed females stopped near her. The men that accompanied them left their sides and moved out side.

"Well if I were lucky enough to be married to Jason Morgan I sure as hell wouldn't leave the party without him on my arm." The woman chuckled. "It would take an act of God to get me to leave without him."

"Well if you were as young and as beautiful as Elizabeth I don't think you'd need to worry. Plus the sexual tension that dripped off them was unbelievable. I don't think the new Mrs. Morgan has anything to worry about."

The third lady snorted as she shifted through her purse. "Apparently you didn't hear that Jason Morgan has his little whore from Port Charles tucked away somewhere in the hotel."

"You're kidding me." The other two woman gasped in dismay.

"Well I refuse to believe it. If it is true I'd bet my Mercedes that he won't keep her for long. Those two are in love."

Carly's hands shook as she heard them chatter on about the new love birds. No wonder she couldn't find Jason. That no good lying scum. Locking her away while he celebrated his marriage with some little tramp.

Her eyes narrowed in rage as she thought of a million ways she was going to make Jason Morgan pay. He was supposed to marry her. She was supposed to be the beautiful bride that everyone was talking about.

Elizabeth. Why did that name sound so familiar? It couldn't be. Not that tiny little waif from this morning. Jason's sister's college roommate.

Well it didn't matter. What she needed to do now was come up with a way to get rid of her. By any means necessary. An evil glint entered her eyes as she made her way to the front desk.

"Excuse me?" Using a low honeyed tone, Carly grinned when the young man looked up at her. His eyes raking down her body before answering.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes I think you can."

Elizabeth's entire body was buzzing with sexual frustration and it was all his fault. Her dreams had been one long never ending rated X nightmare. Squeezing her eyes shut, she tried to block out the images that still haunted her. Jason's naked body, pressed against hers. His eyes cloudy with lust as he whispered the most sinful things in her ear. She was the worlds biggest pervert and having him sleeping so innocently next to her was her punishment.

Was she a masochist? Sleeping in the same bed was just plain stupid. If she wasn't able to control herself at a dinner table and dance floor, did she really think that sleeping next to him would be any better?

But the dreams... Dear Lord they seemed so real. At first they'd been in the shower. His lips on hers, as his hands did magic to the rest of her body. It all seemed so real. He had picked her up and set her down on him. Wrapping her legs around his waist as he pressed her into the wet wall.

From there they had made it out of the shower and to the vanity. He'd brushed her hair as he spoke Italian to her. Soon they were in a bed, his mouth latched onto her breast while she straddled him. Both of them moaning, their breathing erratic. Until they were both right at the edge. But each time they reached that plateau everything would get foggy, would fizzle into nothing. Leaving her frustrated, edgy.

With a heavy sigh, she rolled onto her back and tried to take a few deep breaths. Was that what it had been like between them? Hot, passionate, perfection. Well at least until the end. She refused to believe that after all that build up there wasn't something grand waiting for her at the end.

Go figure her first time was with the handsome man next to her and she couldn't remember a single second of it. Her first time was supposed to be magical. And she had no doubt that it was. It was just her luck that she wasn't allowed to recall it.

"Can't sleep?" Feeling him roll over onto his side, Elizabeth told herself not to look at him. Looking would be bad. Because she knew his lips would be just inches away. Which meant his rock hard pecs and washboard stomach where in reaching distance.

"Something like that." Staring up at the ceiling she half prayed he'd go back to sleep.

"You want to talk about it?"

"No!" Her face felt scorched. God how embarrassing was this? Gee Jason I was having porno like dreams about you. All that was missing was a shag carpet and some funky background music.

Jason leaned closer to her. Something was wrong. "Is it about what happened at dinner?"

"What?" She made the mistake of looking at him. He was so close. All she had to do was move just an inch...

"Why you left early." He clarified.

"No." Sighing, Elizabeth decided telling him about the party was the less of the two evils. "Nothing really happened at the party. I overheard some women talking is all. It wasn't as big of deal as you're making it."

Jason's eyes narrowed. "What did they say?"

Okay did she really think telling him this was going to be less embarrassing? "Jason, really it wasn't anything. Just me overreacting."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"They said..." Clearing her throat, Elizabeth tried again. "They said that I wasn't woman enough for you. That you had your mistress here at the hotel." Jason remained silent. Looking over to him, Elizabeth was almost positive he'd fallen back to sleep. "No big deal."

"Do you feel that way?" His voice was low, almost cautious.

"It's not like we're really married."

"You didn't answer the question." She could feel his breath on her neck. Making her shiver, and causing her arms to break out in goosebumps.

"Can we not talk about this? I think I've taken my quota of embarrassing moments for the day." Rolling over again so her back was to him, she felt him move until he was pressed up against her, looking over her shoulder. So much for forgetting her dreams.

"Well then let me tell you what I think." His voice was low, barely above a whisper. "You are one of the most enchanting woman I have ever met."

"That's not what you thought this morning." Trying to make light of the situation, Elizabeth gasped as his arm snaked around her and pulled her even closer to him.

"You have no idea how beautiful you are do you?" His mouth was so close to her ear that she thought any moment she'd explode. "I plan on making you see just how wrong those women were." Kissing her neck, Jason rolled over and got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" Looking up at him as he picked up his pillow, Elizabeth wondered what she'd done wrong to have him leave.

"I plan on getting to know you Elizabeth. Not take advantage of you...again. I'm going to sleep on the couch." A slight smile tugged on his lips as it started to sink in. Why that little...

"You might have won that one Mr. Morgan. Getting me to tell you. Next time you won't win so easily."

Walking toward the door, Jason paused before turning around. "Has anyone ever tell you that you talk in your sleep Mrs. Morgan?"

Elizabeth paused then blushed. "N-No."

"Good."


	23. Chapter 23

"Time to get up." Keeping her eyes shut, Elizabeth let out a groan as the sound of the curtains being yanked open greeted her ears.

"Five more minutes." Pulling the pillow out from beneath her head, Elizabeth smothered her face to block out the brightness that was threatening her from behind closed eyelids.

"That's what you said thirty minutes ago." She could hear him moving around the room. Dresser doors opened and shut. Scraping sound of hangers. Prying her eyes open, she watched unobserved as a shirtless Jason busied himself hanging up their clothing and putting things neatly into the dresser drawers.

"What time is it?" Her voice was still thick with sleep, but the view she was greeted with jumpstarted her heart into hyper mode.

Looking over his shoulder, a slight smile on his lips, Jason let his eyes drink in her tousled state before answering. "A little after seven."

"Seven? You've got to be kidding me. You're waking me up at seven while I'm on vacation? Do you know that's a crime punishable by death?" Burrowing deeper under the covers, Elizabeth closed her eyes again.

Laughing, Jason made his way over to the bed and grabbed a corner of the comforter. "If I have to drag you from this bed and throw you in the shower I will." Tugging on the comforter in warning, he ignored the ugly words she mumbled about him.

"Give me one good reason I should get up."

"Well for one I need coffee."

"Goodie for you . Go get some." With a big yawn she yanked the comforter out of his grasp.

Smirking, Jason crossed his arms over his chest. "I want some company."

"Take one of your guards with you." He could hear the teasing in her voice.

"Funny. Get up." A devilish light gleamed in his eyes. "Or we could just have breakfast in bed."

Bolting up in a sitting position, Elizabeth blushed as she tossed the covers aside. "That's cheating."

"Yeah well I won and you'll learn that's all that counts. Come on, there's a small diner I want to take you to." Holding out his hand and helping her out of bed, Jason couldn't help but think how incredible it would be to see her like this every morning. Her curls sticking out in a mass of confusion. Her eyes in that almost awake but not quiet there state. And her lips. He'd never seen anyone with such perfect lips. It was physically painful not to be able to lean over and kiss her.

"Oh we're leaving the hotel? You are a brave man." Taking a step back from him, Elizabeth tried to keep her eyes trained on anything but his bare upper body. It seemed too intimate, her standing in her flimsy pajamas. Him half naked. It was a good thing he opted for the couch at night, because she was sure he'd get an earful tonight, if she really did talk in her sleep.

"I like to live dangerously." Pushing her toward the bathroom with a amused shake of his head, Jason watched with appreciation at the slight sway of her hips. "Just get in the shower. You have thirty minutes."

"Yeah, whatever." Closing the door behind her, Jason heard the sound of the lock clicking into place.

Forty minutes later, Jason was ready to pull her from the bathroom and throw her over his shoulder. He had no doubt she was stalling on purpose. Showing him that she wasn't as much of a pushover as she looked. If there was one thing he was quickly learning about his new spouse, she was one stubborn female. "Elizabeth?"

"Almost ready."

The phone rang and Jason shook his head at the closed door before answering. "Yeah."

"I've got some bad news." Sonny's tense voice replied.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason held back a groan of disappointment. "What do you need me to do."

"Nothing. But I just wanted to give you the heads up." Sonny paused. "Carly got out of her room last night."

Cursing under his breath, Jason's hand clenched around the phone. "How?"

"Hit Max over the head with a serving tray."

"Is he alright?" Hearing Elizabeth move from behind the bedroom door, Jason dropped his voice so she wouldn't hear.

"Nothing serious. Needed a few stitches, and his pride dropped a notch or two."

With a disgruntled grunt, Jason jaw tightened. "Good, cause I'm gonna kill him."

"Jase you know Carly. If she wants something bad enough, nothing short of an act from God will stop her."

"So am I safe to assume she's been found?" Carly on the loose. He wasn't even creative enough to comprehend the damage she could do. He was astonished the hotel was still standing.

"Not yet. The guys combed the hotel last night." Sonny paused. "We're gonna find her. It's just a matter of when."

"I'm going to check with security, see if they got anything on tape." Already half way across the room, Jason went to grab his jacket. His mind already coming up with a list of avenues to look into.

"No. You're not. I gave you an order to spend time with your new wife. I wasn't joking." Sonny's tone didn't leave any room for argument. "Besides that's why we have employees. Let them do what we pay them to."

"But Carly's my problem." Sighing, Jason didn't feel right letting other people clean up his messes.

"No she's become the family's problem. And we're gonna take care of her like we would with any other nuisance."

"But Michael..."

"Will be better off without her. Jase I'm not saying we have to bump her off. I'm sure with a little financial persuasion she'll leave on her own." Jason knew Sonny's bitter words were true. With Carly it had always come down to the dollar signs.

"I just wished there were some other way. Something a little less painful for Michael. He needs a mother." Sighing, Jason heard the door open behind him.

"Well if you play your cards right you may have found the perfect candidate. Elizabeth is perfect for you. She's sweet, kind, feisty. All the two of you need now is some time to see if there's a spark."

Silently he watched Elizabeth cross the room to her purse. "Oh I don't think there's a problem in that department."

Sonny laughed. "Lightning bolts huh?"

"You could say that." Hanging up the phone, Jason smiled over at the woman who was standing nervously in front of him. "Ready?"

The suite was lonely without Elizabeth and it was driving Emily insane. After arguing with Johnny the night before, she really needed someone to talk to. To be able to vent her anger and frustration without looking like some raving lunatic. She needed a baseball bat and five minutes alone with that annoying, obnoxious cretin. Perhaps a good whack upside the head would work wonders.

But Jason had taken Elizabeth out for the day. Which was a good thing. Crazy as it may sound, she really was praying that by some miracle things would work out for the two of them. It was amazing that she hadn't thought of it before. They personalities meshed well together. Elizabeth's zany and sometimes off the wall personality. Jason's too quite and sometimes annoying need to be in control at all times. Put them together and they balanced one another perfectly.

If it were anyone else but Jason, Emily may not have been so willing to share her friend.

Crossing the living room she opened the door. "Francis I'm going up to Sonny and Brenda's." Walking past the guard, she headed down the hallway knowing he'd follow. "Have you ever really wanted something, were so close and have it disappear?"

Francis regarded her with a sad smile. "Yeah. It sucks."

"It more than sucks. I really don't get him. I mean what is he so afraid of?"

Patting her back in a big brother fashion, Francis looked adoringly down at her. He'd watched the young woman beside him turn into a young woman over the years and would do anything in his power to help her. "You mean besides your brother getting his hands on him and feeding him to the fishies?"

Raising her brow, Emily snorted. "Oh like he's one to talk. He married my best friend."

"Yeah, but guys get weird when it's their younger sisters. Hell you're not even my sister and the thought of you and Johnny creeps me out a little."

Heaving out an exasperated sigh, Emily felt herself on the edge of another crying fit. "Why? Because Johnny's older than I am. Or because you guys work for Jason and Sonny?"

"No. It's more than that. We respect your brother and Sonny. Do you think we do what we do just for the money... Okay so the money doesn't hurt. But we do it because we're family. Max, me, Johnny we know we're different than the other guys. Sure we might do most of the grunt work, but do you see us doing the crap jobs?"

"No."

"We all know how lucky we are to be included. It means a lot to us. Your brother means a lot to us and I'm sure Johnny doesn't want Jason to think he disrespects him none."

"Well it still sucks."

"Yeah, well welcome to adulthood."

Rolling over and a purring sound rumbled in the back of her throat. "Now that was incredible."

What she really wanted to say was it had been the worst ten minutes of her life. With all the grunting and moaning that came from him, one would think he was running the Boston Marathon. His jerky, animal rutting movements made her want to hurl. She was absolutely amazed at her ability to fake an orgasm. Or that she hadn't called him Jason sometime during their short, pathetic tumble in the sack.

"I couldn't have said it better." Carly bit back a disgusted groan as Kurt, the desk boy, grabbed her breast and squeezed it awkwardly. "We make a great team."

Swallowing down the bile rising in her throat, Carly forced out a smile of pure satisfaction. "Well you ain't seen nothing yet."

"So your ex, he's loaded huh?" Looking up toward the ceiling, Carly thanked her lucky stars. She'd been positive he would've bitten the bait she'd been spoon feeding him all night and early into the morning. Lying tangled in the sheets of his bed, Carly was wondering if she'd read him wrong.

"More then you could imagine." Licking the shell of his ear, she had to keep reminding herself it was for the greater good. No one played her the fool and walked away without paying a price.

"So who do we have to kill to get it?"


	24. Chapter 24

Staring at the small dinner doubtfully, Elizabeth turned to Jason and searched his face to see if he was serious. "You want to eat here?"

"Yeah." Pulling the keys out of the ignition, Jason looked up and saw the look she was giving him. "What?"

"That place looks like it should be condemned." Unfastening her seatbelt, Elizabeth opened the door and slid out. Her gaze never left the building Jason had pulled up to. Actually calling it a building was pushing the word to its limit. Most of the structure was made of brick, except for what seemed to be some last minute add-on consisting of weather beaten wood. The windows had at least an inch of dirt covering them and the Welcome sign looked like it'd seen better days. Where there once most have been a garden was a tangle of weeds. Shaking her head, Elizabeth hoped the inside looked better than what she was seeing.

Joining her in front of the SUV Jason couldn't hold back his chuckle at her expression. "Come on it isn't that bad. The owners are nice. They make the best enchiladas." Taking her hand he half dragged her to the front door.

"Enchiladas for breakfast?"

"No." A soft warm chuckle vibrated through his chest. "Maybe we'll come back for dinner before we leave. You'll love it."

Before we leave. The words made her stomach ache. In a couple of days they would be leaving. Back to their respective homes. Leaving Las Vegas and their marriage behind. It was startling how bad the thought made her feel.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Elizabeth couldn't meet his eyes as she stepped through the open door Jason held for her. Looking around the interior of the retardant she was surprised to see so many people packed into such a small place. Everyone stopped what he or she was doing to stare at the new comers. Most went back to their eggs and bacon. Others continued to stare openly at the couple.

Stepping closer to Jason's side, Elizabeth took comfort in his intimidating appearance. Wide shoulders, sculpted arms, thick thighs. Anyone would have to be an idiot not to see the danger sign that glowed above his head in warning. Someone would have to be a fool to start any problems with him. She hoped with some luck there weren't any fools having breakfast that morning.

Allowing him to take her hand again he led her over to the only empty table, taking her seat she fidgeted nervously. The heavy stares of some of the patrons drilled holes into her back and it made her slightly uncomfortable. She felt every bit of the intruder that she was, knowing the patrons didn't welcome her and Jason's intrusion.

If Jason noticed the attention they were getting, he didn't let it phase him as he grabbed a menu from its holder and started flipping through the pages. Following his lead, Elizabeth grabbed one and buried her face in its pages.

"Coffee again?" A tan skinned woman slipped up to the table. Her eyes seemed warm in welcome as she looked at Jason.

"Please." Jason replied kindly. "How's Ramon?"

The woman's smile grew, as she chuckled softly. "That boy of mine is still getting himself into trouble." Pouring coffee from the pot she held into the empty mug in front of him, she looked over at Elizabeth.

"No thank you. Just orange juice please."

"Carla this is my wife Elizabeth." Feeling the air getting sucked from her lugs, Elizabeth tried to smile graciously up at the waitress. Even though her stomach felt like it had just tied itself neatly into a sailor's knot. Stealing a glance over in his direction, his amused expression made it hard for her to suppress the need to haul off and give him a sharp kick to the shin.

"It's very nice to meet you." The woman's grin was huge. "I'll be right back to take your order." Hurrying away from the table to tend to her other customers, Elizabeth let out the air that had been trapped in her lungs.

"Johnny said the Huevos Rancheros were pretty good." Jason sipped on his coffee, avoiding her insistent stare.

"Why did you do that?" Hissing at him between clenched teeth, Elizabeth hadn't realized she'd spoken so loudly. Looking around to see if anyone else had heard, she turned her attention back to him. Slightly annoyed that he seemed so at ease.

"Do what?" His tone seemed light, but she hadn't missed the slight pull on his lips. Oh he thought this was funny did he?

"Tell her that we're married?" She had to give it to him. He sounded as innocent as a choirboy. In his case a choirboy in reform school. "Aren't we?"

"What?"

"Married?"

"Yes." She drawled out. "But not on purpose."

"You're my wife. How did you want to introduce you?" Now he was just having fun with her.

Flustered, Elizabeth tucked her hair behind her ears before she answered. "Oh I don't know. Maybe just a plain ole 'This is Elizabeth'."

"I liked my way better." Setting the coffee mug back down on the table, Jason held back his grin. Her face was beet red as she tried to come up with a reply. It wasn't nice of him to enjoy seeing her like this. But he was finding that he loved the way her eyes sparkled and the top of her ears turned pink. "You better hurry up and decide. Carla is coming back."

Obediently she looked down at the worn menu. Glad to have something else to look at other than Jason's playful expression. It was doing weird things to her. Things she knew would only cause pain when she returned home.

After Carla came back, and took her order of scrambled eggs and wheat toast. Jason leaned forward and placed his hand on top of hers. He didn't say anything as he stared at her intently. Almost like he was trying to find out her deepest secrets.

"So how do you find this place?" It was too quiet at their table. If one of them didn't speak and soon she was going to go out of her mind.

Shifting in his chair, Jason shrugged his shoulder. "Sonny and I have come out here a few times for business. I can't stand large cities. They're crowded, noisy and polluted. So a few times I'd take off. Just drive. I found this place on my second trip here."

"And who's Ramon?" His thumb was now rubbing circles on the back of her hand and she was finding it difficult to concentrate.

"He's Carla's youngest son. He tried to pickpocket me the first time I came." He watched the blush that started on her cheeks spread to her throat and down to the collar of her dark blue shirt. "His mother was worried I'd call the police."

"What did you do?"

"I told him if he wanted money he had to work for it. I'd give him fifty bucks to wash the Durango."

"Fifty bucks to wash your car?" Shaking her head, Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. "Boy what a toughie you are."

Soon Carla returned with their food and they feel into a comfortable silence. Soon they were pushing back their chairs and Jason through some money down on the table. Calling out their farewells to the waitress behind the counter, Jason led the way out into the warm sunlight.

"So what do you think of the diner now?" Opening the Durango's door for her, Jason grinned down at her in amusement. So perhaps she'd overreacted and passed judgment to quickly on the dinning establishment. It seemed clean enough and if she'd been paying attention to her breakfast instead of Jason's hands she may have noticed it wasn't half-bad.

"Ha ha. What was I supposed to think when you pulled up to this pile of rubble? Four Star dinning?" Ducking under his arm, Elizabeth started to climb up into the passenger seat, when Jason took a step forward and trapped her against the door. Barely an inch separated them, his hands braced on the rim of the door, his head inching forward.

He was going to kiss her again. She could see the intent in his eyes, the determined set of his jaw and it made her stomach feel as though a swarm of butterflies had taken flight. It was beyond reason he would want to kiss her. So why was his lips just inches away? There wasn't anyone around that they needed to prove their marriage to. It was just them and an out of the way diner, whose patrons could care less if they were married or not.

"Will you stop thinking?" Jason's eyes sparkled in amusement. He could practically here the wheels spinning in that beautiful head of hers.

"I'm not." Her eyes barely left his lips as her breathing quickened slightly.

"Uh-huh." He teased, before brushing his lips gently against hers.

God she was so soft. He'd been dying to have her this close since last night. Hearing her moans and sighs while she was sleeping was sweet torture. Her sexy little body shifting under the sheet made him come close to losing control. But it was the low whisper of his name, followed by the most sensual purr he'd ever heard, that made him break out into a sweat.

If there was a medal for abstinence, he would've won the gold last night. His need had been so damn strong that it made his teeth ache. Leaving her alone in bed to take up residency on the couch had been a test of pure strength. Countless times he'd made it back to the bedroom door, only to turn away. He didn't want anything to happen between them yet. Not until they had a chance to at get to know one another.

Feeling her body press hesitantly against his, her hand rest softly on his hip, Jason smiled victoriously before deepening the kiss. His ego soared when he heard her sigh, the tension flooded from her as she lost herself in the sensations the kiss was stirring.

His tongue skimmed her lower lip, causing her to take a sharp breath, giving him the opportunity to slip his tongue in. Running it against hers, he couldn't hold back the growl that was building deep in his chest. Never in his life had a kiss gotten him so worked up.

Once again the outside world was forgotten. It was just the two of them. His hands dropped from the door, as one went instinctively to cup her head. Fisting her taunting curls and pressing her even further into the kiss. He desperately needed to hear her moan. To know that she was feeling the same amazing sensations he was. His other hand rubbed small circles on her lower back, slowly going downward until he could run it over the firm curve of her bottom.

A semi whizzed down the highway behind them, honking it's horn and breaking the spell between them. Reality crashed in on them as they pulled away from the kiss. Disappointment mirrored in their eyes.

Pulling his mouth away from her swollen lips, Jason rested his forehead against hers and took a few well-needed breaths. "Ready to go?"

No not really, she wanted to answer. Her hormones couldn't take much more. After last night's porn like dreams and now having Jason's mouth on hers... She was ready to scream out in frustration. Never in her life had she been so driven by her sexual needs. If she had, she sure as hell wouldn't have been able to hold onto her virginity this long.

What she wanted was to pull him down into another kiss. To have him hold her close again. Instead she managed to nod and slip quietly into the car. She was so frustrated that she didn't trust herself to speak. It wasn't Jason's fault she'd become some freaky nympho overnight. It was rather embarrassing, the way her body was responding.

Climbing into the driver's seat, Jason watched the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Her face was flushed and her body tense as she sat staring out the front of the vehicle. His mouth curved as her frustration rolled off of her and filled the inside of the Durango. It gave him an overpowering feeling. Knowing he could invoke such a state of distress from her. He had wanted to take things slow with her. Let her get to know him a little better before they went that next step. He had a giddy feeling that nature wasn't going to let him seduce her slowly. Not when things got so hot and heavy with just a kiss.

"I'm really starting to hate shopping." Emily grumbled under her breath as Brenda pulled her into yet another shop. "First yesterday, now today. I've been on vacation for almost forty-eight hours and so far it's been a bust. My best friend gets married to my older brother and I wasn't even invited."

"At least she didn't marry AJ." Brenda mumbled as she looked through the rack of bridesmaid dresses.

Choosing to ignore Brenda's comment, Emily made a face at an ugly green dress. "Carly is on the loose."

"Bitch."

"Johnny can't pull his head out of Jason's ass long enough to see that I'm not some little girl." Emily's lower lip trembled slightly as she fought back another round of tears.

"Men are jerks." Sighing in disgust at the selection of dresses on the rack in front of her, Brenda went on to the next.

Laying a protective hand over her stomach, Emily grimaced. "And my bellybutton hurts."

"Well at least Jason didn't find out about that." Trying to find some good in the situation, Brenda's face lit up. "That's a good thing."

"Well yay me. Let me beak out the streamers and throw me a party." Twirling her finger in the air, Emily followed Brenda around the store.

"I still think you should chain Johnny to the bed and have your way with him until he caves." Her dark eyes sparkled in anticipation. "We could go to one of those sex shops on the strip..." Emily's mouth twitched until she was giggling along side of Brenda.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Emily let out a long breath. It was hard to stay in a rotten mood around Brenda. "I forgot to ask. What did Liz say when you asked her to be a bridesmaid?"

"I tried calling but no one answered." Wiggling her brows, Brenda jabbed Emily in the ribs with her elbow. "I wonder what they were doing."

"Eww." Covering her face with both her hands, Emily made gagging noises. "That's not even funny. Don't put pictures of my brother and Liz in my head. That's just wrong."

"Well, it's not like they haven't already done the deed."

Visibly shivering, Emily's painful groan only made Brenda giggle harder.

"Oh come on Emily it's not that bad. At least they're married."

Dropping her hands from her face, Emily's face was unreadable. "Not for long."

Brenda came to a screeching halt. "Wait. He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Almost bumping into her from behind, Emily sidestepped the beautiful brunette nearly missing plowing her over.

Brenda's mouth fell open as she let out a frustrated growl. "Men. Your darling older brother doesn't plan on divorcing Elizabeth." Prepared for Emily's indignant outrage, Brenda was slightly thrown when the younger girl broke out into a wide grin. "Emily, that's a bad thing. He doesn't love her."

"Of course he doesn't." If possible her smile only grew. "Not yet anyway." Walking away to go look at a display of shoes on the back wall, Emily's step was light.

Following form a few feet behind, Brenda chewed on her lower lip. Running the strange conversation through her head she desperately searched for some missing punch line. Jason and Elizabeth staying married was wrong on so many levels. To a romantic like her, just the fact that they both deserved to fall head over heals for someone someday made it hard to except. Of course there were always the realistic reasons, ones she usually never paid much attention to.

They didn't know one another. Elizabeth was young and had so much to look forward to before she settled down. Getting married to a complete stranger while you're drunker than a roadie at a Gun's and Roses concert was just plan tacky. So how was it Emily found this a good thing?

"Emily you can't seriously be happy about this." Hurrying after Emily, Brenda dogged the younger girl's steps.

"Why wouldn't I be happy that my best friend is now a member of my family? Besides she's so much better than Carly." A vicious gleam sparkled in her eyes. "I can't wait until that nasty troll finds out that she can't dig her poisoned claws into Jason or his money."

"Okay I'll admit watching the Queen Bitch get knocked down a peg or two does hold some appeal. I just don't understand why you'd want them to stay married." Folding her arms across her chest she ignored the shoe Emily held up for her inspection.

Sighing, Emily lowered the shoe. "Did you see them last night?"

"Yeah. They were at our table." Brenda answered stubbornly when she saw the direction Emily was going.

"There were sparks. Fireworks..." Her eyes took on a dreamy look and Brenda made it her responsibility to squash it now before it was too late.

"An atomic blast. Yeah I saw it. But that's just sexual attraction. It doesn't get you through your first year of marriage, let alone to the 'until death do you part', part."

"But it helps right?"

"Well yeah. But there're so many other building blocks that are needed to make a marriage work." Taking on the part of the responsible, clearly thinking party in this discussion didn't sit well with Brenda. She was more the impulsive, the-devil-may-care type. So being shoved into the role of Miss Maturity put a bad taste in her mouth.

"So they'll work on it. Come on Brenda, if you stop being so stubborn and admit that maybe this one time you could be wrong. Trust me, you'll see just how perfect Jason and Elizabeth are for one another. Besides you're pissy that they got married before you and Sonny did. What does this make? The fourth time you two have tried to make it to the alter? Maybe you guys should consider the get-drunk-get-married method."

"First of all, I am not stubborn. Second I'm, not pissy. Third, Sonny and I are getting married this time, even if I have to shoot someone. But most importantly, I'm never wrong." Emily brows raised as she stared over at Brenda, the forgotten shoe dangling in her hand. "Fine I can be a little stubborn. And occasionally I've been known to be wrong. Tell me one reason why Jason and Elizabeth are good for one another and I'll jump on the Morgan marriage train. I'll even play cupid if that makes you happy. "

"Only one?" Smirking, Emily held up one finger. "Elizabeth won't take advantage of Jason's good nature. They're both furiously loyal. Jason will be able to slightly curb Elizabeth's wild tendencies without squashing her free spirit. They nearly burnt down the place last night with sexual tension-."

Holding up her hands in surrender, Brenda laughed. "Been thinking about this?"

"Just a little. It was the only thing I could do last night to keep me from hunting Johnny down and breaking his legs."

"You forgot one thing."

"What's that?"

"They're soulmates." Brenda answered grumpily, hating to have to admit that just maybe she was wrong. And a little stubborn. Perhaps a tad pissy. But by all that was holy she was getting married in three days.

Driving back to the hotel, Elizabeth head lolled back against the headrest as she watched the sunset with hooded eyes. Their day together had been pure perfection. Even if he'd awoken her at such an ungodly hour. After breakfast he'd taken her to a American Indian Festival, where they'd spent the rest of the day walking from tent to tent. Looking at the different items for sale. Jewelry, pottery, paintings, food. She had found a beautiful turquoise anklet, Jason had insisted on buying her.

Outside there were several different demonstrations of ancient Indian dance. A storytelling pit had tourists and locals crowded around as weathered old men told tales of long ago. Elizabeth drank it all in. Every color, scent, emotion. Her hands itched to get back to the hotel and start sketching. So many images ran ramped through her head until it almost made her dizzy.

Jason was by her side the entire day. If he wasn't holding her hand, then it was on her lower back. Guiding her through the congested crowd. A few times she'd noticed him glaring down other males when they'd look her way and not have the common sense to look away. It made her light headed over how protective he was. Though always attentive, he was always aware of their surroundings, of the people nearby. It was silly, but his ability to make her feel safe, only made him all that more attractive in her eyes.

Not that he needed any more qualities to make her want him. The kiss from earlier that morning and another at the fair grounds made her insides ache. Being around him caused mass confusion to her emotional state. Her libido was in overdrive, while her heart turned to goo. Never in her life had she felt so complete. So at ease with herself, with someone else. She felt invincible, while at the same time a tiny part of her knew when all this was over she was going to face the most intense pain she'd ever experienced.

It was stupid really. They didn't know one another. But somewhere between the turquoise jewelry and the grilled corn she'd fallen hard for him. Elizabeth couldn't say it was love. Seeing that she'd never really been in love before. But if she wasn't in love she sure hoped when the day came, it would somehow compare to how she felt today.

"You look tired." His hand squeezed hers gently, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Beat. I could sleep for a week." To illustrate her point, Elizabeth let out a healthy yawn.

"When we get back you should take a nap before we go to dinner." Taking his eyes off the road, Jason looked over at her face to judge her reaction. They'd already spent the majority of the day together and he knew she loved every minute of it. He just didn't want to push her too hard and have her start to retreat. A slow grin spread across her face but quickly vanished. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really. It's just that...I really would love to go to dinner with you. But I feel bad about ditching Emily all day." Watching as she pulled her lower lip between her teeth, Jason let out a sigh of relief.

"Then how about we invite Em along and after dinner we can all do something together."

"Can we gamble?" Her tired state completely forgotten, Elizabeth sat up straight, excitement filled her eyes.

Groaning loudly, Jason winced. He should say no. Just the thought of Elizabeth and Emily in a casino, drinking gave him the hives. There was also a missing Carly to think about. It made him uneasy that no one had found her yet. During the day he's contacted Johnny's several times. Hoping like hell she'd been found and was on her way back to Port Charles. But the glowing look in Elizabeth's eyes made him nod his head, agreeing with her.

Pulling into the under ground parking garage they took the back elevator up to their floor. He wanted like hell to lean her up against the wall and kiss her. To feel her body pressed tightly against his. He didn't though. Because he knew he wouldn't be able to stop with just one kiss. This morning at the restaurant and then at the fairgrounds he'd almost said hell with it and taken her back to their room. Where he could spend the rest of the day exploring her body and the way she made him feel every time they touched.

He'd experienced need before. Christ what human being with hormones hadn't? This was entirely something else. His body physically hurt the longer he waited. He wanted nothing more than to burry himself deep inside her. Feel her smooth skin against. Just hearing her moan his name would probably make him lose control. But he didn't want a quick, rough tumble in the sack. With Elizabeth he wanted to remember every minute, touch, caress.

The loud bell signaling their floor graciously jarred him from his thoughts. Putting his hand on her lower back, he felt her move closer to her side until they were brushing up against one another while they headed toward their suite.

"Why don't you go in and take a nap while I go find Emily." Not giving her a chance to respond, Jason leaned forward and brushed a gentle kiss across her mouth before opening the door to the room and guiding her inside. He made the mistake of looking into her eyes, seeing her need burning as brightly as his. If he didn't go now, there was no way she'd get a nap. He didn't even think their chances of making it to the bed were in their favor.

"Keep the door locked." He croaked before shutting the door loudly. Shoving his hands deep into his pockets, cursing at himself under his breath as he walked uncomfortably back to the elevator.


	25. Chapter 25

Procrastination. If there was one word in the English language that didn't fit Jason Morgan, procrastination was one of them. Always on the go, his mind constantly wrapped around the latest task or job needed to get done. A strong believer in getting things done the right way, the first time around. His every movement and reaction calculated, with precise decision. Was now, at this very moment doing everything and anything in his power to keep from having to return back to their rooms.

He endured forty-five minutes with Brenda and Emily. Suffering through the mini fashion show of bridesmaids dresses. Neither girl could decide which one they liked while shopping. So they purchased a wide assortment in duplicate to see which one Elizabeth would prefer. There were so many different colors of rustling fabric, in different shapes and styles that it made his head hurt.

During this time he'd also had to tolerate their teasing and embarrassing questions. Making each minute pass by painfully slow. It wasn't until Brenda brought out the lacy undergarments that he'd met his pain threshold. With a hasty goodbye and a reminder to Emily of dinner that night, Jason fled the room in search of Johnny.

Had he known his friend had a tree the size of a redwood crammed up his ass, Jason would've considered playing in traffic instead. It would have been more enjoyable, and a halluva lot more safe. In all the years he'd known the bodyguard he'd never seen anything but a smile on the man's face. Even in the middle of a job, in the pitch black of night, Johnny's big ass teeth could always been seen. But after the third time Johnny bit his head off, Jason calmly told his friend to get laid, before turning around and admitting defeat.

So here he was now, standing outside in the hallway like an idiot. His breathing was already erratic and he wasn't even in the same room with her. Just knowing that she was probably asleep in the large bed, cuddled under the covers was playing havoc on him. Images of slipping in next to her, pressing his body up next to hers, cupping one of her pert breasts in his hand flashed through his head. Making his pants uncomfortably tighter with each passing moment.

Why was he doing this to himself? He wanted her. And by the way she responded to their kisses today he knew the feeling was mutual. It didn't make any sense why he was putting himself through this kind of hell. Instead of wondering how hot and wet she'd get, he should just go right on in and find out first hand.

Pinching the bridge of his nose and letting out a shaky breath, Jason hung his head down low as he tried to rid himself of such thoughts. It was too soon, he wanted them to get to know one another better before they burned each other between the sheets. He respected her too much already to treat her like that. Perhaps if she was like Carly. Greedy, cynical, bitchy he could take advantage of her like that. But she wasn't and for the life of him, he wanted things to work out with Elizabeth.

With a new determination, Jason quietly let himself into the suite. Looking around he found the living area empty. Elizabeth's shoes were neatly tucked under one of the end tables. Her purse tossed onto the couch. Taking a closer look, he felt a tightening in his chest when he spotted other odds and ends that belonged to her about the room. It felt right. Coming back to her, to their room and finding pieces of her already surrounding him. Even if it was only a random hair scrunchy and a forgotten jacket.

It made him wonder what it would be like living with her. Coming home, hanging his jacket next to hers in their closet. Her magazines scattered around their living room. A bathroom filled with hairspray and gels, make-up and curling irons. Pantyhose hanging from the shower rod.

He'd lived like that with Carly and in the most part he felt suffocated. Like the life was being squeezed from him with each passing day. Sometimes a long ride on his motorcycle could make him feel better. But living with Carly made him feel trapped. It was just the opposite with Elizabeth. The thought of sharing a living space with her, well it sounded down right homey.

Smiling at himself for such sappy thoughts, Jason checked his watch. They had two hours before they were to meet up with Emily for dinner, and if Elizabeth was like any other female he knew she'd need at least an hour to get ready. Deciding to take a shower before waking her up, Jason headed to the bedroom.

Silently he stepped into the darkened room and made his way over to the dresser. He kept his eyes away from the figure in the bed, knowing it would break his waning self-control if he did. The sound of rustling sheets from behind him caused him to freeze. Listening carefully, he waited until he heard her let out a soft sigh before opening the top drawer and grabbing a clean pair of jeans. That done he headed for the closet, all he had to do was get a shirt and make it to the bathroom and he'd be home free.

"Jason?"

Crap.

Her voice was still thick with sleep, but just the sound of it sent chills down his spine.

"Is it time to get ready for dinner?" Bracing himself, he turned to face her and felt the air get sucked from his body. Out of all the ways he imagined her to look tucked in away in the bed, none of them matched the view he was greeted with.

Elizabeth was propped up on one elbow, the delicate strap of her black camisole slipping slowly over her shoulder. Her eye lids heavy still from sleep, added with her full pouty lips started to diminish the restraint he'd been fighting to maintain through out the day. Did the woman have any idea just how sexy she was? How her innocence mixed with her natural sensuality was a powerful aphrodisiac he was too weak to resist.

Clearing his throat, Jason looked away, his discomfort evident with his jerky movements. "No, not yet. I thought I'd grab a shower first. Then the bathroom is all yours."

Elizabeth frowned slightly. "Are you okay?"

His electric blue eyes snapped up to meet hers. "Yeah, why?"

He watched in pain, as she sucked her lower lip between her teeth as she let her eyes roam over his face. "I don't know. You're just acting...different."

Trying to make his body relax, Jason swallowed hard. "I'm fine," He answered sharply as her sheet slipped to reveal the swells of her breasts. His eyes followed the falling sheet and settled to the flesh that was exposed. "I..." He wanted to touch her. Fighting to keep his breath from coming out in short pants, Jason clutched at the clothing in his hand and told himself to get a grip. "I'm gonna take a shower."

Spinning on his heel, he made it all the way to the bathroom door before she stopped him again. "Are you mad about something? You seem tense."

Was she joking? Of course he was tense. Christ his muscles were so tight he felt his body was going to shatter at any moment. Her words just proved her innocence. Trying to make his voice as soft as possible, Jason looked over his shoulder and offered her a small smile. "Elizabeth I'm fine."

She was now sitting up in bed. The strap that was threatening to slip from her shoulder was now dangling down her arm. Making the silky fabric dip lower than intended. His eyes couldn't leave the rise and fall of her breasts.

His mouth went dry and breathing became an issue. His blood went straight to groin as he stood paralyzed feet away from temptation. His conscience screamed at him to lock himself in the bathroom. To take a long cold shower. Do something to relieve himself of his growing arousal, so he could stop acting like some hormonal teen around her. Taking a step backwards, with full intentions of putting distance between them, he watched as her tiny pink tongue ran across her lower lip.

"Ah hell." Dropping the clothes to the ground. Jason crossed the room in three easy strides and was on the bed in a flash. He'd moved so quickly, Elizabeth hadn't had time to barely blink before his rough hands were on her waist, pulling her to him as his mouth attacked hers.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she thought she'd heard herself whimper, but soon the sound was drowned out by the primitive growl that trembled deep in Jason's chest. Putting her hands on his shoulders, she could feel the familiar humming that always took shot through her body when their bodies came in contact.

Sucking her lip into his mouth, Jason nipped at the sweet tasting flesh. The jolting pain, was eased by the tenderness of his tongue. Creating tiny waves of pleasure to flow through her body, ending up between her thighs.

His hand skimmed her jaw before slipping into her hair. Unlatching his mouth from hers, his hot breath fanned across her face as he pulled back to look into her eyes. Desire and uncertainty swirled in her deep dark pools.

"Elizabeth, do you have any idea how much I want you?" His voice was measured restraint against the shell of her ear. "I really wanted to wait."

The words barely registered as Elizabeth arched her back and rubbed herself against him. Nodding her head in response, her hand skimmed over his shoulders and gripped onto the back of his shirt.

"Tell me what you want." Nibbling on the curve of her collarbone, his ears strained to her the words slip from her mouth. "If you want to wait, I'll back off."

"I want..." Crying out as his hand cupped her clothed covered breast, Elizabeth's legs shifted under the sheets, allowing Jason's thigh to move in closer to press up against her.

"Please I need to hear it." His thumb nail raked over her budding nipple, causing her head to drop to his shoulder.

"You. I need y-." Not needing to hear anything more from her, Jason used his weight to press her back against the pillows. His mouth latched onto hers, hot and demanding. His tongue swirling against hers as his hand dipped under the silky material to burn her flesh on her stomach, before blazing a trail upward.

The sheets imprisoned her legs as she twisted to free herself. Feeling his roughened hand make contact against the sensitive underside of her breast, Elizabeth nearly jumped off the bed. Her eyes widened and she was surprised to find him staring down at her. His face hard, his eyes filled with uncontrollable passion.

It made her feel utterly feminine to cause such a reaction. Giving her an odd sense of power that she had no idea how to use. Shifting against the leg pressed intimately against her, Elizabeth watched in fascination as Jason's pupils dilated and his nostrils flared. Moving again, the motion triggered a building sensation deep in her belly. Making her gasp and Jason to curse darkly underneath his breath.

Without any sign of patience, Jason tore back the covers and flatted himself against her. The rough material of his jeans rubbed against her thighs. Wrapping a strong arm around her slender waist he rolled them over so she ended up on top, her legs straddling his waist. It was the only way he could keep himself from tearing his clothes off and plunging into her.

She hesitated at first, unsure of their new position. But with a gentle buck of his hips from underneath, he brought back that fevered glaze in her eyes and groaned when she leaned forward, her breasts brushing up against his chest as she placed butterfly kisses along his jaw line, until she reached his lips. Her tongue swept over his lower lip, tasting him as she explored. Soon she nudged his lips open and slipped her tongue inside.

His hands rubbed circles on her back, moving lower until he cupped her bottom and holding her still as he rocked his hips into hers. Her hands grabbed his shirt as she tried to push it up and over his head. Her mouth leaving his to taste the newly exposed flesh. Sitting up, her still snug in his lap, Jason yanked the tee-shirt over his head before lying back again.

Taking the delicate straps of the black camisole in both hands, he gave an efficient tug and was rewarded with the sound of the material snapping. Letting the fabric cascade over on breast, Jason rolled them over again. His mouth fused on the hardened peak that teased him. Sucking it into his mouth, his teeth clamped onto her gently as he gave a slight tug. Her nails scored him as her head pushed back into the pillows as her back arched up to offer herself to him.

Too soon he left her breast as he kissed and nuzzled his way downward. Dipping his tongue into her bellybutton. Making her moan and giggle at the same time. His hands traced along the backsides of the thighs, opening them wider, making room for his body. It wasn't until his tongue traced the edge of her silky panties that he felt her body tensed. Her hands tugged at him to travel back up.

"Elizabeth if you're uncomfortable with this tell me." As much as he wanted her. How badly his body demanded he just end the pain and torment. He didn't want to push her any farther than she wanted to go. He felt her relax slightly, her hands stopped pulling as she raked her nails through his hair.

"Jason I want you." The words were heaven. Sliding his tongue over the material, down to her hot core. He could taste her through the silk. Her panties were drenched with her need.

Her hips rocked into his mouth, her passion filled cry only intensified his need to send her over the edge. Disposing of her panties, Jason parted her wet curls and licked greedily at her center. Licking upward, he teased her nub, while he placed a palm on her abdomen to keep her in place.

Her body shook in need as her thighs tightened against his head. He could feel how her breathing came out in short labored pants, as she struggled against the sensations he was building up inside her.

"Don't fight it." He demanded as he lifted his mouth away from her swollen lips. Slipping a finger inside her, Jason marveled at how wet she was. Never in his life had he experienced a woman so aroused. He watched as her as she closed her eyes. Her hands twisted the sheets she held onto like a lifeline. Lapping at her again, and adding another finger to his first, he felt the beginning of the spasms along her inner walls.

"That's it." She let out a displeased cry when he lifted his mouth away from her. With a smug smile, Jason sucked her clit into his mouth and flicked it with his tongue. Her body shuddered as she fought against the hand holding her down. His eyes drank in the sight of her climax, male pride swelling inside him.

Easing away from the center of her thighs. He slipped off the bed, only long enough to slip out of his boots and dispose of his jeans. Standing at the foot of the bed, naked and pure male, his eyes raked down her body in appreciation. She was beautiful and at this moment she was his wife. Just the thought caused his #$ to twitch as he crawled back onto the bed. Her eyes following him as he inched his way back up her body, leaving a wet trail of kisses.

Her body arched against his again, naked flesh rubbing, until he was positioned between her thighs. His rock hard shaft rubbing against the inside of her thigh. Her slender legs twined around his muscular one, running her foot along the backside. Her nails dug into his biceps as she rocked her hips against his. Silently pleading for him to ease into her.

Her juices covered the length of his #$ each time she moved. Until finally she fitted him against her opening.

Lowering his head and taking her mouth in a sweet kiss, he inched his way in. His arms shook from the effort of bracing his weight off her, but also from the intensity of his need. Their eyes connected as Elizabeth bucked up hips up, taking the rest of him inside her. All self control snapped as Jason's hips drove into her. A grateful whimper fly from her lips as she met him thrust for thrust.

He wanted to feel her come again. To have her walls tighten. Milking a climax from him.

"Jason?" Her tiny mouth was open, as she once again fought against the pleasure. Nails bit into his shoulders as her breathing came out in struggled pants. Gripping her butt cheeks and lifting her so he plunge deeper, he felt her lose control. Rubbing his thumb across her swollen nub, it didn't take much to have her crying out.

With a final thrust, Jason spilled his seed inside her. Her name spilled from his lips as he lowered her back down to the mattress and he gathered her in his arms. Their breathing labored as he kissed the curve of her neck.

"Elizabeth I really had wanted to give you more time to get to know me. I won't say I'm sorry for making love to you, because I'm not."

His words warmed her insides. "I'm not sorry either."

"Good." With one last kiss, he pulled out of her, and settled on the mattress next to her. Bringing her body close to his, and tucking her firmly against him. Jason felt her breathing evening out and knew she was almost asleep again.

Closing his eyes, Jason wondered if this was what it would feel like for the rest of his life. This feeling of perfection. Of finally feeling complete. A small smile touched his lips as he drifted off.


	26. Chapter 26

Even before his eyes drifted open, a slow lazy grin spread across Jason's peaceful expression. The scent of their earlier love making still hung in the air. Her soft sighs of contentment filled his ears as she scooted closer to him. Rubbing her luscious bottom into his groin, Jason closed his eyes at the heavenly pain she invoked. Pressing his face into her hair, he inhaled and smiled at his foolishness. If his enemies could see him now, he'd be laughed out of Port Charles.

None of this made sense. He was behaving like some love sick fool over a woman he'd just met. But god help him, he couldn't get enough of her. The way she smelled, the way her naked flesh felt against his. He could definitely get used to waking up with her tucked up close to his side. Perhaps he was being a stubborn bastard by wanting to stay married to her but after the day they'd spent together he had a strong feeling they'd be just fine.

But there was also Michael to consider. Would Elizabeth accept Michael into her heart? Take him as her son? When he finally told her of his intentions to stay together, explain to her Michael also came along with the package, would she understand. Or would she go running?

God what was he thinking? She wasn't even out of college yet, and she was saddled with a instant family. He was a selfish bastard. Would she really consider giving up her freedom to stay married to him? A mobster with a insta-family. Without a doubt he had to be in love. He sure as hell wasn't thinking clearly.

"What's the frown for?" Blinking his eyes, he was greeted by the concerned expression on Elizabeth's beautiful face. He saw the doubt in her eyes and felt like an ass. All of this was so new for her, the last thing she needed right now was to feel uncomfortable.

"Just thinking." The corners of his mouth curved up as he leaned over to capture her mouth with his. It was a kiss designed to reassure. To prove to her that what had happened between them hadn't been a mistake. No regrets.

Rolling her on to her back, Jason pressed his long frame into hers. Lifting his head, he stared down at her. "I was just thinking of all the closet space I'm going to have to give up."

Her tiny brow wrinkled and her eyes narrowed. "Closet space?"

"Back in Port Charles." Pausing to see if she was following him, Jason recognized the confused look on her face. "Elizabeth, I know this is coming from no where. But we need to talk about our divorce."

Feeling her mouth go dry, Elizabeth felt panic grip her stomach. He couldn't seriously want to talk about their pending divorce now. Lying naked in bed after what they had just done. They'd just made love. She'd just given herself to him, and now he wanted to talk about separating? Just the thought made her sick. "We don't want to be late for dinner. I-I really should get ready. Can't keep Emily waiting, now can we?" Pushing at his bare shoulders, Elizabeth tried her damndest to wiggle free from under Jason's large mass.

"No. We need to talk. Now." Using his body to keep her pinned under him, Jason braced an arm above her head and stared down at her until she finally gave up her protest and returned his gaze. Her eyes dark, the color of a stormy sea. "You're going to need to be patient. I'm not good at this."

"What? Forcing people to do what you want." As if to prove her point, she tried one last ditch try to free herself from him. Unfortunately, he wouldn't have it. Holding on tight he used his lower body to keep her from bucking up. His wide chest pinning the rest of her to the bed.

"Will you stop it?" He demanded. Easing his grip, he waited for her to move again. When she didn't show any signs of escape, Jason let out a long sigh. So far this definitely wasn't going like he planed.

"I don't want to hear what you have to say. Not now after we... Jason please not now." Practically begging, Elizabeth closed her eyes. She couldn't have 'the talk' now. The one where he told her she was too young. Had so much to look forward to. Not after she sharing herself with him. "We can talk later. We can't be late."

"We wont be late if you'd stop fighting me." A low chuckle vibrated through his chest as he kissed a sweet looing spot on her neck that was begging for his touch.

"I wasn't fighting." Sighing. Elizabeth tried to keep her head clear. Acting like a little girl wasn't helping her cause. Running wouldn't solve anything. Sooner or later they were going to have this talk. She might as well get this over with.

"As I was trying to tell you... About our divorce." Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth waited. "I don't want one. I was hoping we could see where this thing between us goes."

Opening one eye, then the other Elizabeth stared up at his handsome face. Not completely sure she wasn't hearing things. "You don't want a divorce?"

"No." The warmest sexiest smile graced his lips as he brought a hand up to cup her face. Running his thumb over her bottom lip. "I really think what we have between us could go somewhere. But before you make up your mind, you need to know what you're getting yourself into."

Nodding mutely, Elizabeth felt tears of relief to gather in her eyes. Her throat tightened, making it hard to breath.

"I guess you could say I come as a package deal. I don't know what Em has told you about Carly and Michael..."

"Pretty much everything." Watching shock spread across his face, Elizabeth backpedaled. "I'm sure she only told me because she needed to vent. I mean, she was so angry with what Carly put you and the rest of her family through. She just needed someone to talk to and I was there."

"No she told you because you're a good friend, she trusts you." Jason replied softly, his expression relaxed. Running his fingers through her hair, he reveled in the soft texture pouring through his fingers. "I plan on raising Michael, without Carly."

"She's going to give up her child?" Clearly disgusted, Elizabeth tried to sit up. Only Jason kept her where she was. Not only did his position keep her exactly where he wanted her. But honestly, he loved the feel of his flesh pressed up close to hers. "After the hell she put you through, she's going to just walk away? What kind of monster is she?"

Feeling a little uncomfortable, Jason took a moment to pick the right words. "No. Its not like that. I'm not giving her much of a choice." Waiting for her to go off on him, he was relieved to see the expectance her eyes. "Carly's a horrible mother. There was a time I had hoped she would come around. Her maternal instincts would kick in. But the only thing she cares about is herself. The only time she concerns herself with Michael is when he can serve a purpose."

Elisabeth's heart went out to the little boy. She knew what it felt like, having a parent who only remembered you when it served their own need. No one deserved that kind of existence. "So you're going to convince her to sign Michael over to you?"

"To us." Jason corrected her. " That is if you agree. Like I said. I'm not giving her a choice. She's gone to far. Last night she knocked Max out with a tray. We haven't been able to find her since. Considering this is Carly we're dealing with, she can be up to anything. When she gets angry she doesn't think, only reacts. Which makes her dangerous."

"You still haven't explained how you're going to get Michael from her."

"If I asked you to trust me, could you do that? Let me do this my way?" Her answer was important. Her ability to step back and have faith in him would make or break their relationship. Because there would be times when he would need to ask her to do things he couldn't explain. Nights he'd need to leave without notice. His life was a hard one. It would only be harder if she was unable to trust him.

Elizabeth seemed to sense the importance of her answer. Taking her time, she considered what he was asking. More importantly, what he wasn't. She knew he led a dangerous life. She'd always teased Emily about her brother being in the mob. But only because she could see the fear and concern in Emily's eyes whenever she talked of Jason. Elizabeth wasn't stupid. By agreeing to work things out with Jason, she'd be putting her life in danger as well. Depending on Jason and his men to keep her safe. "I can do that."

"Thank you." Nudging his hips forward, his hardened #$ found her moist core. Her juices spread across his tip but he didn't press forward any further. "So do you think you could give it a try. Give our marriage a chance?"

Running her hand softly over the five o'clock shadow along his jaw, Elizabeth felt the flutter in her chest. "Yes." Her lips barely formed the word when Jason's mouth came crashing down on hers. His tongue demanding entrance past her lips. At the same time he thrust deep inside of her. The shocking pleasure had her body arching off the bed, as a loud moan escaped from her throat.

"I'll do my best to make sure you don't regret your decision." Whispering into her ear, his hands moving under her bottom to grip her as he moved in and out of her. Her walls tightened around him, gripping onto him tightly with every thrust.

"Jason, please." Her legs moved higher over his hips, hooking behind his back so she could take him deeper. Their breathing came out in short gasps as the raced to the edge.

Freeing one of his hands, Jason pulled her leg even higher along his side. Nearly passing out from the sensation. "Elizabeth now."

With one last thrust, Jason felt her insides spasm around him, milking out his orgasm. When he was able to think again he rested his forehead against hers, giving her a moment to relish in the afterglow before placing a loud kiss on her lips and pulling out. "Mrs. Morgan we have thirty minutes to be showered and dressed for dinner. How do you feel about sharing the shower?"

"What's wrong with the two of you?" Sitting back in her chair, Emily crossed her arms across her chest and looked back and forth at her dinner companions. "Jason is that a smile on your face?" Joking, she narrowed her eyes and leaned closer. "It is!"

Elizabeth's cheeks turned pink under her friends scrutiny, as she pretended to be really interested in the garnish on her plate. She was quiet certain it would be bad etiquette to tell her friend over baked stuffed haddock what a wonderful lay her older brother was. Plus there was the tiny little matter of needing to tell Emily that her temporary sister-in-law status was under review.

"Oh my god." Emily's loud words earned her several glares from other diners, that she blissfully ignored. "You two had sex. Again."

"Emily." Choking on his beer, Jason sent his sister a heated look as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"I don't think they heard you in Brazil." Humiliated, Elizabeth looked around to make sure no one was staring. "Why would you think that?"

"Well the biggest tip off is that Jason is smiling." Her eyes wide, Emily gave a short grunt. "He never smiles."

"That's not true." Finding the need to defend himself, Jason set his beer back down on the table with a loud crash. "I smile."

"Not lately." Emily disagreed. "But it's no wonder. I'd find little to smile about with Calry around. And you." Turning her attention to her best friend, Emily lowered her voice slightly. "Have been blushing like a satisfied bride since the salad."

"Can we talk about this upstairs?" His voice hushed, Jason looked out of the corner of his eye to see Elizabeth's reaction. "This isn't something I want to talk about here."

"Tough." Emily shot back, her eyebrow raised. "Seeing that I don't have a life I have to live through the two of you." Her expression turning impish, Emily leaned forward. "So does this mean I need to actually by the two of you a wedding gift?"

Seeing that his sister wasn't going to let the matter drop, Jason couldn't help but chuckle. At least she wasn't getting hysterical. "We don't need any gifts Emily."

"Wait until Mom and Grandmother find out." Her eyes widened. "Where are you going to live? Is Elizabeth leaving CU? I don't want to lose my friend."

"Emily breath." Elizabeth reached over and took the other female's hand into hers. "We haven't really talked about it. But I can't expect Jason it give up his job so he can move to Boulder."

Tears gathered in Emily's eyes as she nodded her head slowly. "I guess not. You could always transfer to PCU." Sniffing, the pretty brunette sat up straight. "So could I." A large smile covered her face.

"I don't want you to give up CU for me." Elizabeth could read Emily's mind. Moving back to Port Charles meant being closer to Johnny. It was a win-win situation. They wouldn't have to be separated and Emily would be closer to the man who owned her heart.

"No really." Grinning back at her friend and her confused brother, Emily picked up her napkin and patted her mouth. "I insist."


	27. Chapter 27

Dropping to her knees and throwing the blue blanket back, Emily cursed under her breath as she searched for her missing shoe. The day had started with a roaring start. Waking up late, getting shampoo in her eyes, then having one of the worst hair days known in the free world. She was supposed to be at Brenda's and Sonny's suite twenty minutes ago to meet with the seamstress. She'd be lucky to get there in time for the wedding.

All of this was Johnny's fault. Invading her dreams and making her doubt her decision on moving back to Port Charles with Elizabeth. Who was she fooling. It didn't matter if she moved closer to Johnny. It wouldn't change anything. He'd still be a thick headed fool, who had his head shoved so far up his ass he probably could perform his own tonsillectomy. She could run around naked, with flowers in her hair and the words 'I love you Johnny' painted across her bare chest and he still wouldn't give in.

"Where is my shoe?" Gritting her teeth in frustration, Emily tossed her limp ponytail over her shoulder and banged her head against the mattress.

"Emily?" Sitting up at the sound of Johnny's voice, Emily made a face and hurried to her feet. What in the hell was he doing here? Francis had told her he would escort her to Sonny and Brenda's.

Straightening her wrinkled outfit and with as much dignity as she could muster with one missing shoe, she made her way to the living room. Johnny was standing in the open doorway, looking uncomfortable. Well good. Because of him she had unattractive bags under her eyes. He should pay somehow.

"What do you want?"

"Francis had to run an errand and asked if I could take you up to Sonny's." Unable to look her in the eye, Johnny stepped further into the room and closed the door quietly behind him.

"By golly isn't that sweet." Grumbling under her breath, Emily limped across the room to stand directly in front of him. "Gee Johnny I think I am capable of making it to the elevator and to Sonny's door without your help. I know I'm young, but I think I have numbers down pat. Just as long as I have my fingers to count on, I think I'll be all set." Walking past him to the door he'd just closed, Emily swung it open and looked over at him expectantly. "This is where you leave."

Johnny's face went from pink to red. His large hands clenched tightly at his side as he took two large steps to the door and wrenched it from Emily's grasp. Without giving her another look, he slammed it hard enough to make the pictures bounce against the wall. "What do I have to do to get that giant Redwood removed from your ass? Do you think this is easy for me? Not being able to be with you. Being forced to watch you from a distance as other men drool all over you. Do you have any idea how badly I want to tear them limb from limb?"

"It's not my fault." Shouting back at him, Emily poked her finger into his chest. "I'm not the one who is keeping us apart. That would be you. With all your boys club rules and laws. That's your life, not mine."

"But if we got together it would be your life too. I can't do that to you Emily. It's bad enough your Jason Morgan's little sister. What do you think would happen if you were my wife?" Grabbing Emily by her shoulders, he looked down at her intently. Trying to make her face the seriousness of the situation. "I'm only a guard."

Releasing herself from his grasp, Emily choked on a humorless laugh. "Wife? Jesus dramatic much? We haven't gotten past our second date and you're talking about marriage."

Taking a step away from her. His anger faded, leaving him drained. "But in the end that's what I would want. I'm gonna go wait in the hallway." Shoving his hands into his pockets, Johnny walked across the room. His head lowered. Leaving Emily to look after him in shock.

"Is that a zit?" Leaning closer to the bathroom mirror, Brenda peered at her reflection in horror. "Oh my god it's a zit." Her eyes flared as she pushed away from the counter. "The day before I get married I get a zit."

Laughing at his bride to be, pacing the bathroom. Her hands flying in every direction, mumbling under her breath. He'd never seen her so beautiful. It was times like these that made him see just how much he loved her. When her face bare of any cosmetics. Her soft sable hair lose, cascading over her shoulders in a halo of curls.

"What are you screeching about now?" He teased as he slid up behind her to wrap his hands around her tiny waist.

"I have a zit. A big, pusey, ugly zit. How pretty is that?" Pulling out of his arms to look in the mirror again, she let out a sob and hung her head. "I'm a good person right?"

Not sure what she was getting at, Sonny knew enough about women to play along. "Of course you are."

"And I'm giving and understanding."

Chuckling Sonny kissed the side of her neck. "Of course you are."

"Why are you laughing?" Turning around in his embrace, Brenda looked at him in outrage. "Are you laughing at me?"

"No." Seeing he was about to get himself into hot water, Sonny's expression turned serious.

"Well we're going to have to postpone the wedding." With a determined nod, Brenda turned back to the mirror and made a face.

"What?" Unable to believe what he was hearing. Sonny turned her back around. "We are not putting this marriage off again. I don't care if you come down with the chickenpox. Tomorrow you will become Mrs. Corinthos."

"But I look like Frankenstein. Glue a few bolts to the sides of my neck and paint me green I'll be a dead ringer for him."

"Brenda you are the most beautiful woman I have ever met." Looking into her eyes in the mirror, Sonny stepped behind her. "No blemish can lessen what you mean to me."

"Sonny?" Jason's voice broke the moment.

Swatting his beautiful finance on her rear, Sonny gave her a dimpled grin. "Tomorrow. No more postponements. Are we clear?"

"Yeah." Her eyes watered as she turned back to the man she loved with all her heart. "Tomorrow. You, me and my big zit."

"Maybe we should come back later." Turning back toward the door, Elizabeth felt as though she and Jason were intruding when no one was there to greet them. "Maybe they're... busy."

Giving her a knowing smile, Jason walked further into the room. "Sonny? Brenda?"

"Jason. Elizabeth." Coming from the bedroom, Sonny looked relaxed for a man who was a day away from getting married. "Brenda will be out in a moment. Are you two hungry?"

Shaking her head, her face flaming. Elizabeth mumbled no thanks as visions of breakfast in bed flashed in her head. Who knew fruit covered waffles could be so... sexual? With all the silky whipped cream and large pieces of strawberries. She'd never be able to step foot into another Waffle House again.

"The seamstress will be here any minute." Trying to keep his face straight, Sonny couldn't help but notice the becoming blush that spread across Elizabeth's face. It was a very telling and he couldn't be happier for his best friend. He'd always known that someday Jason would find the right woman for him. When he did, it wouldn't be any typical romance. "I thought us boys would find something to entertain us while you girls do your woman things."

"Just as long as you don't step foot into any sleazy stripbars." Coming out of bedroom, Brenda walked over to Elizabeth and hugged her.

"What did you do to your chin?" Tilting his head to the side, Jason gave Brenda a strange look. A large band-aid covered most of her small chin.

"It's nothing." Mumbling under her breath, Brenda turned her back him and hurried over to the closet where the dresses she'd bought yesterday were hanging.

Unable to let it go, Jason blocked her from her goal. "Did you fall down?"

"Jason really it isn't a big deal." Looking over at Sonny, she immediately saw she wouldn't get any help from him.

"Well if it isn't a big deal then why don't you just tell me." Picking up on her discomfort, Jason relaxed knowing she hadn't been injured. But now knowing it was something that was embarrassing her, he sure as hell wasn't going to back off.

"Jason maybe she doesn't want to tell you." Giving her new friend a sympathetic smile.

"I don't see what the big deal is." Jason's eyes nearly sparkled as he turned his entire attention on the ex-model. "Unless of course, she's trying to cover up a zit."

"You know what Jason." Placing her hands on her slender hips, Brenda tilted her head to the side and glared. "It doesn't amaze me you needed to get a girl sloshed to get her to marry you. With your natural wit and charm, I'm just surprised you didn't need to hit Elizabeth over the head with a club and drag her by her hair to the nearest justice of the peace."

"Ouch." Placing a hand over his heart, Jason laughed. "So how big is it?" Reaching his other hand out for Brenda's face, he laughed harder when she swatted it away.

"Will you just get him out of here?" Unable to keep the amusement from her voice, Brenda shoved her friend and fiancé toward the door. "Don't forget the rehearsal dinner tonight. Six o'clock sharp." Waving at the two men sweetly, Brenda closed the door in their faces before turning back to Elizabeth. "So would you like to tell me why Jason's in such a teasing mood?"

Elizabeth froze, her eyes went wide just for a millisecond. She had the look of a deer caught in the headlights. Emily's loud voice from the night before echoed through her head. What was it with Jason and smiling more? Was the man a monk before they met? "Maybe he's happy?"

"Oh I bet he is." Wiggling her eyebrows, Brenda noticed Elizabeth's embarrassment. "Oh my god you two had sex...Again."

Slapping her hands over her face, Elizabeth sunk down onto the couch behind her. "Is it that obvious?"

"Well at first I thought he was just happy because you two spent the day together alone yesterday. But now..." Moving her mouth to form words, it was Brenda's turn to look like the deer. "Did you two get drunk?"

"No." Elizabeth laughed. "It just sort of happened."

"And you're okay with it?" Brenda asked tentatively.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Well..." Brenda drawled. "You two did just meet. I just don't want you two to rush into something that might make you feel awkward around him."

Sucking her lower lip into her mouth, Elizabeth contemplated whether she should say something to Brenda. Or wait until Jason was with her. But Emily already knew and her friend wasn't one to keep her mouth shut when it came to big news. So it was either she told Brenda in her own words. Or wait for Emily to open her yap and tell Brenda in a way that was guaranteed to embarrass the hell out of her.

"Jason and I talked about us last night."

"And?" Sitting on the edge of the couch, holding her breath as she waited for Elizabeth to answer.

"We're going to try and make it work." Elizabeth answered quietly, looking down into her lap.

"I don't know if I should smack you upside the head. Or welcome you to the family."

"The hug would be nice." Looking up, Elizabeth felt relieved at Brenda's acceptance.

"You know this practically makes us sister-in-laws right?" Wrapping her arms around Elizabeth's neck, Brenda hugged the younger girl tightly.

"I have something to say." Emily slammed the door behind her, as she tossed her purse on a chair. "Men suck!"

"Are you sure everything is ready?" Dropping a few ice cubes into her glass, Carly licked a drop of water from her fingertip. "Because there is no room for mistake. Once we take Little Bo Peep, Jason will tear this town from one end to another. It's not in his nature to let poor defenseless woman to be put in danger."

"I already told you." Kurt sighed as he fingered the hem of her skirt. "Everything is set. Your high and mighty Morgan won't know what hit him."

"This is going to work out better than I ever imagined. Not only will I teach Jason I can't be pushed aside. But this will ruin Princess Brenda's wedding." Swatting at Kurt's hand, Carly sauntered across the room.

"I am wondering though." Reclining lazily in is chair, Kurt eyed the venomous blonde. "What exactly are we gonna do with this Elizabeth chic when this is all over?"

Taking a sip of her drink, Carly spun the ice in her glass around before answering. "I don't care what you do with her. Keep her, use her, kill her. Just as long as she never gets in my way again. That's all that matters."


	28. Chapter 28

"Why are you so impatient?" Signaling to the dealer to give him another card, Sonny hid his wide grin behind on of his hands as Jason shifted again in his seat and checked his watch. "We have twenty minutes before we meet up with the girls."

"I'm not anything." Jason grumbled, already annoyed by Sonny's endless barbs and jokes. Instead of being pulled into the conversation his friend had been trying to initiate for the last hour, he picked up the beer he'd been nursing and took a deep pull. Without looking at his cards he hit the table and took the card the uncomfortable man on the other side of the table slid to him.

"Will you stop scowling like a three year old?" Flipping over his cards, Sonny waited for the other players at the Blackjack table to do the same. The dealer showed his winning hand and took the chips before starting another round. "You're scaring Tony here." The dealer swallowed hard, looking ready to bolt at just the thought of being pulled into a conversation with the two intimidating men.

"Drop it Sonny." Tossing a couple hundred dollar chips onto the table, Jason looked around for a waitress.

"How can I?" Not bothering to conceal his enjoyment at Jason's expense, Sonny stacked his chips neatly and nodded at the dealer. "You've lost every hand. Perhaps if you actually looked at your cards you'd do better."

His only response was a noncommital grunt, Jason flagged down a skimpily dressed cocktail waitress by holding up his empty bottle. Ignoring Sonny's insistent stare, Jason flipped the corner of his card. "Hit me."

"So are you gonna tell me how things with Elizabeth are going?"

"Are you going to tease me about it if I do?" Jason cocked a brow.

"I can't promise anything. But if you don't want to tell me I could always wait and ask Brenda." Bringing his drink to his lips, Sonny took a slow sip. "You know how nosey my soon to be wife can be. She loves getting the juicy info and then share it. It's like a disease with her."

Not sure if he should be humored at his friends inquisitive nature. Or if he wanted to find a corner in a third world country to drag Elizabeth off to so they could have some privacy. Not that a few thousand miles could stop Brenda putting her nose into something that was none of her business. He may have cut his ties with the Quartermaine's. Turning his back on every one of them expect Emily and Lila. Somehow he'd traded one family and had fallen right in the middle of another. Sad as it was he really couldn't figure which one was more dysfunctional.

"We talked." Sounding as though he had to force himself to speak, Jason gripped the beer bottle the waitress had set in front of him.

"Talking huh? Is that what they are calling it these days?" Sonny nodded, unable to pick on his friend. But seeing the hard look Jason sent him, Sonny put up his hands. "Sorry, go on."

"We're not going to get divorced." Shifting in his seat, Jason felt uncomfortable. Usually, under normal circumstances he didn't give a damn what other people thought. Right now though, nothing was normal. He knew his feelings for Elizabeth were a once in a lifetime kind of thing. Feeling as though he'd known her forever. Already he could feel a connection between them. Stronger than any bond he'd felt for anybody in his entire life.

Sonny wasn't just his friend. But family. More than anything, Jason needed to know that Sonny would except her as a member of their family. Because it would be difficult if Sonny had any doubts about the marriage. Not that it would change anything, except maybe needing to find a new job.

Sonny took awhile to answer. The longer Jason waited the more on edge he got. Finally Sonny cleared his throat. "I like her. I trust that you told her of how dangerous our lives can be?"

Sandy brows lowered over his crisp blue eyes. "Not really, but something tells me she already knows. She knows about Michael though. Has no problem with it." Seeing the tight expression on Sonny's face, Jason felt his stomach tighten. "What?"

"She just seems so young to be thrown into the role of Mother."

Jason's jaw set as he stared across the casino. There was denying that Elizabeth was young. Hell she wasn't even legal to drink yet. "I'm not giving her up."

"I'm not asking you to. I can see it's the real thing between the two of you. I'm just thinking out loud I guess. Have you talked about where you're going to live?" Accepting the cards the dealer put in front of him, Sonny waited until Jason was dealt for his answer.

"I was thinking the cottage still. There's going to be enough changes going on. Michael needs stability in his life. The least we can do is stay in the house he's gotten used to." Watching the dealer flip over his card, Jason sighed as his chips were removed from in front of him. So far he hadn't won a single hand. Not surprising, seeing he hadn't really been paying attention.

"So is she going to just leave in the middle of her semester?"

Another thing he really hadn't thought about. So far it seemed as though Elizabeth was doing all the sacrificing. Moving, leaving school. Even when she transferred to PCU she was going to lose a semester. The thought didn't sit well with him. Nether did the idea of her finishing out the semester in Colorado while he was in New York.

Finishing his drink, Sonny watched Jason frown out of the corner of his eye. "You know you and Michael could always join her in Boulder until summer. Give the three of you a chance to bond before having to face reality in Port Charles. Plus it keeps her out of the Quartermaine's reach for a little while."

If possible Jason's frown deepened. "I hadn't even thought of them wanting to meet her." He should have. Elizabeth was going to become a target. A person his estranged family was going to see as a way of bringing him back. How was he going to explain to her that the last thing he wanted was to become tied to that mess again?

Snorting, Sonny leaned back in his chair. "Not that Edward would be able to pull the wool over her eyes." Chuckling, he shook his head. "I have a feeling that Elizabeth could hold her own with the old man."

A slow smile crept to Jason's face. "She'll probably have him sputtering and yelling on the top of his lungs in seconds."

"Talk to Elizabeth. See what she says. I'm sure you can find a small house to rent until June."

"I don't want to abandon you. Not with everything that's going on." Shaking his head, Jason felt slightly disappointed. Some time alone with Elizabeth away from his hectic life in Port Charles sounded wonderful. But he had responsibilities. A coffee business to oversee. The other business to keep an eye on. He couldn't just dump everything on Sonny to play family man. Even if the idea sounded like heaven.

"Bullshit. I ran things before I had the brilliant insight in hiring you. A few months with out you isn't gonna kill me."

"Like I said, talk to Elizabeth." Checking his watch, Sonny pushed away from the table and stood. "We better get going before we have three women breathing down our necks.

"What do you think?" Turning slightly to look over her shoulder, Elizabeth examined the way the dress fell over her rear to her feet.

Chewing on her thumb nail, Brenda walked from one side to the other. "I wish we had the time to have the dresses specially made. Instead of off the rack." Sighing, she picked the dress up a little before dropping it. "Bring it up just a little bit more."

Ignoring the loud huff from the seamstress, Brenda looked over to where Emily was still pouting. "Are you going to be like this all day?"

"No." Emily voice was cold as she looked away from Brenda's amused expression. "The least you could do is feel outraged. Agree with me that Johnny is a jackass. Rant about the stupidity of the male species in general."

"I don't know why you're putting yourself through this." Picking up the discarded dresses laying around the living room and carried them over to the front closet. "If I were you I'd just tell Jason about Johnny. Let him know its not his life but you respect him enough to let him know."

"Oh yeah, that might work. If I lived on a different planet and if I had Ward Cleaver for a brother." Smirking at the thought, Emily rolled her eyes. "But I live on this planet and Jason Morgan, the Morg is my brother. I'll be lucky to ever see Johnny in one piece again."

Throwing her head back and laughing, Brenda looked over to Elizabeth and shared a knowing smile with the other female. "Emily it isn't that bad. The most important things in the boys world is honor, loyalty and respect. Sneaking around with Johnny would break every one of those. You need to be honest with Jason if you ever want anything to happen with Johnny."

"Right. So I have a heart to heart with my brother. Stand up to him about a relationship that doesn't exist. With a guy who I make look like a big ole wimp cause he didn't have the balls enough to tell Jason himself. There's a way to win a man over." Covering her face with her hands, Emily leaned her back against the couch.

"Hmm. I see your point. Johnny would look like a big pansy."

"I don't see why Johnny doesn't just tell Jason that he's interested in you. I think he'd understand." Standing perfectly straight for the women kneeling on the ground repining the hem of her dress.

Emily and Brenda looked to one another before bursting out in laughter. Once they started they couldn't seem to be able to stop. Soon their tears dried up and their laughing turned into giggles. "Oh Elizabeth, you have so much to learn still."

"What?" With a short huff, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest. Only earning herself a dark look from the woman on the floor. Making her return to her original stance.

"Right now Jason may seem like a big teddybear. Sweet looks, boy like smiles." Brenda's smile slipped a little. "But there's another man under that. One that can be pushy and demanding."

"Not because he's being mean." Breaking in before Elizabeth got the wrong opinion, Emily looked over at Brenda. Giving her a look that clearly said not to get over dramatic.

"Not that at all." Brenda hurriedly agreed. "He's just like Sonny. Gets obsessed with the safety of the people in his life. Sometimes he goes overboard. Gets tunnel vision I guess you could say."

"But what does safety have to do with Emily dating Johnny?" Elizabeth couldn't tell what the big deal was.

"Just being Jason's little sister puts her in danger. On top of that, if she became Johnny's girlfriend. Well, it's a double jeopardy. But that wouldn't be the biggest problem." It seemed weird to Brenda, having to explain the in and outs of the mob life with a mob wife. Usually the ABC's were explained before the nuptials.

"Okay I'm lost." Throwing her hands into the air, Elizabeth stopped and grinned at the frustrated woman with a mouthful of pins. "Sorry." Only earing a glare, she decided not to push the lady.

"Johnny is a guard. Jason's his boss."

"Oh my god don't tell me it's like a class thing." Unable to believe her ears, Elizabeth looked back and forth at her friends. "Come on, you've gotta be kidding me."

"But we're not the typical mob family. Personally I think given some time Jason would come to accept it." Shrugging her slender shoulders, Brenda walked forward to look at the seamstresses finished product. "Better. Now get your skinny ass out of that dress. We have a rehearsal to get to."


	29. Chapter 29

It was something out of an action movie. The kind that Elizabeth had always detested. Mostly because the audience could see what was about to happen long before the idiots on the screen did. Predictable. Redundant. Had she been sitting watching her life she would've yelled out not to be a ninny. Not taking a bodyguard up to the fourteenth floor for the wedding rehearsal was just plain stupidity.

It had taken under five seconds from the moment they left the Corinthos's penthouse, heading for the elevator for Elizabeth to get nabbed. Waiting for Emily and Brenda to go ahead of her, Elizabeth watched in shock as the bellboy, who'd been innocently leaning up against the back wall, burst into action. Just as Emily cleared the threshold, he pushed the 'close' button. Shutting the doors in Elizabeth's face. The smirk on his face had barely registered when something slammed into the back of her head, at the base of her skull.

It was a simple plan to execute. Wait until the three females were stupid enough to leave the presence of anyone who could help them. Even a drooling idiot with an IQ of ten could have pulled it off. If she wasn't tied up, a gag in her mouth and a splitting headache caused by the gash in the back of her head she might have laughed at it's simplicity.

It was discouraging how she'd turned out to be the stupid blonde cheerleader who was always the first to be off'd.

Surrounded by sequence and feathers, Elizabeth could only gather she was in some storage area that housed the past costumes of some low cost, extremely flashy a Los Vegas show. Beside the two angry voices coming from somewhere behind her, the only other sound was the loud hum of some mechanical thingy. At first the whirling, cranking sounds drowned out most of what was being said. But soon their voices warred with one another, trying to out yell the other.

Funny. Here she was. Tied to a chair. Her hands numb. Heading pounding. And they were angry?

A woman sounded extremely pissed off. The male sounded defiant, almost condescending. Taunting the female, telling her he was the one with upper hand. Back and forth it went, almost like a ping-pong match, making Elizabeth's head fuzzy and her stomach roll.

"Listen here, you little piece of nothing." The woman barked. "You are expendable. All I have to do is run to Jason, a few tears in my eyes and tell him how you kidnapped me. Thinking I was his new little wife. It wasn't until you found your error that you went after little Miss Muffin face over there." Elizabeth sucked in a deep breath. She'd heard that nickname before. But where?

"Interesting theory princess. But here's how it's really gonna work. If you go run off with your little tale. I'll be forced to supply some actual proof, that you're nothing but a little, lying, fraud." The man paused and if possible the tension in the room seemed to mount. "I have three days worth of video tape I'm sure your hero Jason would just love to see. A little of this, mostly a lot of that. You sneaking around. You tying up the new Mrs. Webber. You and me in some really interesting positions. Which are my personal favorites."

"You sick bastard."

"I'm sick? Listen sweetheart, I'm not the twisted freak here. Allow me the pleasure to explain a few things to you. This Morgan guy, he doesn't want you. Maybe he found you amusing between the sheets. But you're washed out honey. Used up. Trash. The guy found a girl he can take home to Mom. I mean look at her. She's pretty and young. Innocence just oozes from her. But the best part, she makes your man burn. Something I have a feeling you haven't done in quiet awhile. Or at least not from what I've experienced."

Elizabeth listened, her cheeks burned as it dawned on her as to who the shrew was. Carly. Jason's mentally unfit ex. It was disgusting to think of her as a mother to some cute little toddler. "So listen to me sweetheart. The plan has changed. No longer is this about you getting back at Morgan for dumping you. I don't care who he's married to. What matters to me is the large amount of green at the end of the rainbow. After that I'm out of here." Footsteps could be heard and Elizabeth shut her eyes. Not ready yet to confront whatever hell she'd stumbled into.

"Wakie. Wakie sunshine." Knuckles tapped ruthlessly on the top of her head, making the pain shoot all the way to the back of her skull. But no matter how badly she wanted to cry out, something deep inside told her to play possum.

"You didn't need to hit her so damn hard." Carly snapped.

"I thought you said you didn't care what happened to the little lamb." This time Elizabeth nearly screamed when a hand gripped around her loose ponytail and jerked her head back.

"No I said I didn't care what happened once Jason had learned his lesson. I don't see how she can call Jason if she's half-dead." The hand relaxed and let her head drooped back to her chest. "By the way it's still fifty-fifty."

"Seventy-thirty." The man didn't take anytime in answering.

"Fifty-fifty."

"Unless you want to be tied up next to our little guest, I suggest you take what I'm offering. Your mistake was taking me for some brainless idiot. No need to look so shocked. I have to admit my ability to really dumb it up for you even went past my expectations. Honestly, this is my best work ever."

"Wait... You played me? That's impossible -."

"Took you long enough to catch on. Now I can't take credit for all of it. I've been waiting for something huge to cross my path. Just didn't plan on it dropping into my lap. So in a way, I guess I do owe you a big huge thank you."

What came next, Elizabeth only could guess was the sound of the Carly's hand connecting with the man's face. What she didn't expect was for Carly's cry of pain that followed and the sound of a body hitting the floor.

"I never really liked you all that much." The man muttered.

Repeating to herself that she had to remain calm, Jason probably already knew she was missing. Which meant the guards were probably tearing through the hotel like bats out of hell. Thinking of Jason's over powering presence made some of the pain in her body fade away, until she felt everything slip from her one by one. Until it was only her, and the image of Jason in her head.

"Do you mind repeating that?" Jason stood in disbelief, as Johnny stared back at him. The guard's expression near panicked.

"Elizabeth is missing."

Looking over at Sonny in some half hope that this was all some huge joke, Jason felt his stomach drop before his head had a chance to catch up. They'd been waiting for the girls for the rehearsal when Max had called. Without wasting a second, both men had hurried down to the suite.

"I told you that Bellhop closed the door in Elizabeth's face on purpose." Brenda cried out as she put her hands in front of her face.

Emily could only blink. The entire vacation had been one twist after another. But never at any time had she really felt as though any of them had been in danger. In the past she'd seen what it was like for her brother and Sonny when things got 'heated' up in their lives. This. Well, this had been just a step away from real life.

Looking around the room at the worried faces, Jason felt a horrible urge to laugh. Mostly at himself for ever thinking he could keep someone like Elizabeth safe from the darkness in his life. This is what he got for relaxing. For allowing himself for letting his guard down and enjoying himself.

Once he found Elizabeth, he'd have someone's ass for the lack of security. Would tear the man's nuts off who was supposed to be standing at the door but couldn't seem to keep his ass put. Right now though; he needed to let go of some of the anger that pumped like fire through his veins. "Has there been a ransom call yet?"

"Not yet." Handing Jason a small package, Johnny glanced quickly towards Emily's ghost white face. "But this was dropped off as I was coming up."

Tearing the paper away, Jason stared down at videotape. A sick feeling weighed heavily in his stomach. "Is there a VCR -?"

"Max has one coming up now Jason."

A soft sob came from Emily's mouth when her eyes landed on the black case in his hands. "Johnny, can you take Emily back to her room please? Post one of the guys at her door."

"I'm not leaving." Even though her voice was weak, Jason could hear her stubbornness. "Elizabeth's my best friend. I'm not going to be shuffled off somewhere."

"Emily," Pinching his nose in pure frustration, Jason reminded himself that she was his little sister. Not some employee who was bulking at an order. "What ever is on this tape may not be pretty."

"I understand that." Emily's tone became a little stronger. "I'm not leaving." She repeated.

"Fine. But Emily I want you to know that some things may be said here -."

"Remains here." Standing up, her head held high. Emily walked the short distance to her brother and laid a hand over one of his that clutched the tape in a death grip. "I want whoever did this to pay."

Nodding, Jason sucked in a deep breath, his eyes found Sonny's and both men stared at one another in understanding. They would tear this town apart to find the people responsible for this. But they would tear apart the world until they found Elizabeth.


	30. Chapter 30

Watching the tape was one of the worst forms of torture Jason Morgan had ever experienced, and having worked for Sonny for the last four years, he'd been through his fare share of pain. His insides burned when he saw several different clips from the hotel security tapes as Carly sneaked around the place like she owned it. Hiding behind corners or large plants when one of them got too close. It was all the proof he needed to put a price on her head.

It was his heart that ached as he watched the elevator door shut in Elizabeth's shocked face, and with a blink of an eye, a large shadow appeared behind her, knocking her soundly on the back of the head with a fire extinguisher. Her small and delicate body crumpled to the ground.

After that, all he saw was red.

The last part of the video wasn't in the black and white, but instead it looked as though someone was holding a video recorder. Elizabeth, his Elizabeth. The woman he was married to and had made an oath to protect, was tied to a chair. Her beautiful chestnut curls looked knotted. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, as her head hung painfully to the side.

On the floor next to her was Carly. Unfortunately, for her, she was still breathing.

The letter that had been wrapped around the video tape was an elementary style ransom note. Selected letters and words from magazines telling of the time, place and amount needed for Elizabeth's 'safe' return.

"Jason. . ." Emily's voice sounded distant. As though she was trying to communicate with him from twenty yards away. He could hear Sonny barking orders to Max telling him to get Benny on the phone. Something about needing funds immediately. Brenda was sniffing softly to the side. "Jason." This time he felt a slight tug on his arm. "Your bleeding."

Looking down at the crushed glass in his hand, Jason couldn't figure out when exactly he'd picked it up. But he could barely register the pain of his bleeding palm. Not when his heart had been ripped from his chest.

"Jesus." Francis appeared out of nowhere with a first aide kit in hand. It took a little work on his part to convince Jason to let him see the damage he'd caused. "Jason, we're gonna find her."

"I know." With a numb nod of his head, Jason took a deep breath and tried to concentrate. Fought to gain control of the fear that was growing in his chest. It wasn't going to help anyone if he lost it. Especially Elizabeth. He needed to become the unfeeling Borg everyone called him when they didn't think he was listening.

"Emily I want you back in your room until this is over." Seeing that his younger sister was ready to argue, Jason turned cold eyes her way. "NOW!"

Johnny to the initiative and stepped forward. Placing firm hand on her shoulder he started to half push, half guide her out of the room. His hold tightened when she tried to pull away and his face remained blank when she started to curse at him. It wasn't until she kicked him soundly in the shin that he winced slightly, before swinging her up quickly over his shoulder. Nodding in Jason's direction, he strode toward the door.

"Brenda." Sonny raised a brow, and tilted his head toward the door and Johnny.

Looking ready to argue, Brenda quickly weighed her options. Remarkably, she snapped her mouth shut as she walked over and gave Sonny a kiss on the cheek before departing.

"I'm done playing nice with Carly." Jason's cold tone nearly chilled the room. "I have given her more than her fare share of chances." Waiting for Francis to finish bandaging up his hand, Jason stared at the red bleeding through the white cotton.

"I know." And Sonny did. Lord did he know. He'd stood back and watched silently and sometimes not so silently as Jason did his best to keep Carly from self-destructing. Jumping through hoops and giving up on his own needs just to ensure that Michael had some form of a home. But she'd finally had pushed to hard. Had gone past the line that not even Jason could over look.

Jason took a deep breath. Blinked once. "When we get Elizabeth back." His voice only faltered slightly. "I'm going to divorce her. She doesn't need this crap in her life. She's too young for this. I put her in danger by only thinking of my want and needs. I should've sent her home."

"That's the stupidest bunch of crap I have ever heard coming from a man's mouth." Jason turned toward the sound the interruption, and found himself staring at one annoyed Gina Gianni. "And having been surrounded by males the majority of my life, I have heard some humdingers."

"Mrs. Giann-." With a wave of her hand she stopped Sonny in mid sentence. "I'm not here to socialize. One of my men told me what's going on." Seeing the look of confusion cross the men's faces, she gave an unapologetic shrug. "This has been my home for over twenty years. It'd amaze you how fast news gets around here."

"The situation is under control." Jason tried to keep his tone neutral.

"That's wonderful." Her eyes met his, "I assume then that you've located your young bride?" The question hung in the air unanswered. "That's what I thought." Her mouth pinched as she took a seat. "Let's get to business boys."

Jason and Sonny looked at one another, not entirely sure she was speaking to them or the massive apes she brought with her. "Has there been a ransom yet."

Sonny nodded to Francis, who handed her the letter they'd just gotten done reading.

"I see." With a distasteful glance at the letter, she handed it back to the waiting guard. "How original. Anything else?"

"Mrs. Gianni, you really don't need to bother yourself with this." Jason words sounded polite enough, but everyone understood the underlying meaning. Women had no place in this part of the business.

"Mr. Morgan, I admire your need to shelter us weak, defenseless females." Though she smiled at the men in the room, her eyes were dead cold. "But if you'd please drop the bullshit I would deeply appreciate it. I have been married to the business for more years than I can count. Its been a long time since I've been ordered from the room for my own good. We may be in a business arrangement, but this is my home. And nobody shits in my yard and gets away with it."

Francis coughed, trying to wipe the smile from his face. Max didn't do such a grate job of hiding his shock at the older woman's colorful words. Choking on the laughter bubbling from his chest, he almost needed to leave the room.

"So if we're understanding one another clearly, let's get on with it."

Time seemed to be going at a snails pace. No scratch that, it was going slower than a snail. It was going backwards. Elizabeth kept her eyes closed as she fought against the need to cry at situation. She'd never felt such pain as her head pounded. Sending white hot shock waves through her skull. Her arms and legs had long ago lost all feeling.

The only saving grace in the entire situation, was the fact she'd been able to fool the bastard who was pacing behind. Still thinking she was unconscious, he'd left her alone since he'd knocked Carly to the ground. Instead, he'd kept himself entertained by talking out loud as to how he was going to spend the ransom.

She didn't care if he planned on buying a tie-dyed poodle with a diamond chain. As long as he stayed away from her she was just fine.

Somewhere in her muddled thoughts she heard the sound of a phone ringing. The man's muted voice sounded angry, almost tense. He cursed several times before she heard his heavy footsteps behind her.

"Carly." His voice barked, and Elizabeth held her breath. "Wake up you stupid bitch."

After a few painful minutes, Elizabeth heard Carly's distinct groan as she came to. "Untie her. We've got problems."

Every muscle Elizabeth could still feel tensed.

"You hit me." Carly sounded shocked. As though somehow she'd been unjustly abused.

"Yeah, well if you don't get your ass off that floor I'm gonna do more than hit you." The guy sounded as though he meant business. "The bosses bitch of a wife shoved her nose where it don't belong. This hotel is gonna be crawling with guards any second."

"Good." Elizabeth nearly choked. How stupid could a person get? Talking back to the person who just knocked her on her ass. Who could point the finger right back at her. "Cause when Jason finds you, there's not going to be enough left of you to feed to the fishes."

"Fist of all, stupid, we're in Nevada. Not much water. Second, I doubt there's a lie good enough to get you off Morgan's shit list. But most important. You crapped in Gina Gianni's yard. Which means you no longer need to worry about your constipated knight and his bongo playing boss."

It was like an eternity before Carly responded. At first it was a bunch of muttered gibberish, that ended in an icy, fine. Before she knew it, Elizabeth felt her bindings being loosened.

"There." Mrs. G held up a hand. "Rewind it a little, then pause."

Jason gritted his teeth together and did as he was asked. He was ready to combust. No, he was ready to throw the damned TV out the window. This was getting them no where. For the last twenty minutes they had combed through the video for any clues. For something that could get them some sort of scrape to work with.

Realistically he knew the tape was the only real thing to go by. But the need to escape the room and start terrorizing the hotel staff was pulling hard at him. There was nothing like knocking a few heads together to get the information they so desperately needed.

"Right there." Mrs. G tilted her head slightly. "Rewind one more time, turn up the volume." Throwing a disgusted look over at Sonny, Jason did as he was told. "What an idiot." The older woman muttered to herself and shook her head in disbelief.

"Excuse me?" Standing up straight, Jason stared at her in disbelief.

"Your wife-."

"Elizabeth isn't an idiot." His lip curled and he took a step closer.

"Mr. Morgan I am fully aware that Elizabeth isn't an idiot. I am talking about her kidnapper." For a glimmer of a second she gave Jason a compassionate smile. But just like that it was gone. "They're in the basement. If you look closely at the last clip of Elizabeth you can see the feather's of a costume. There's also the distinct sound of one of the furnaces." When no one moved, Mrs. G stood up from her position on the couch and raised an amused brow at the men around her. "Are you going to stand around, or do I need to rescue the girl also?"


	31. Chapter 31

"So what's the plan? Traipse down there like a herd of elephants?"

Looking up from his Glock 29, Jason looked over his shoulder, and inwardly groaned at the sight of Mrs. Gianni flanked by her small army of men. "Welcome to Barnum and Bailey's circus. I thought I told you to stay with Emily until this is taken care of?"

Johnny shifted and visibly winced. "Yeah. Sonny sent Brent down to take my place. I have a feeling I'd suffer less damage wondering into hostile territory wearing a Sunday dress and stilettos." Looking in the direction where the regal matriarch was waiting, Johnny gave a humorless chuckle. "I like Mrs. G and all, but come on Jason, she's got like ten overgrown baboons with her. There's five of us - ."

"You got a point here Johnny?" A muscle ticked along Jason's jaw line. It was rubbing him the wrong way having to take orders from a woman who barley reached his elbows. The last thing he needed was Johnny throwing in his two cents worth. "What happened to you?" Taking on Johnny's tussled hair, disorderly clothing and swelling eye, Jason almost chuckled, until he noticed a very familiar shade of pink lipstick on the guard's collar.

To Johnny's credit, he had enough decency to look a little uncomfortable. Instinctively he touched his injured eye, wincing. "Your sister has one hell of a right hook. Something about not appreciating the way I took her back to her room."

Raising a knowing brow, Jason took his gun and ran it along Johnny's collar. Stopping where the pink started. It was meant to be a little, intimidating, and from the way Johnny gulped Jason was satisfied to have hit his mark. "About that."

"Yeah," Jason lazily drawled, "About that . . ."

"Jase this really isn't the time or place to get into . . ."

"That?" Knowing he shouldn't be getting any pleasure out of putting his pal through the wringer, Jason had to admit it was better than allowing the gnawing fear of Elizabeth's disappearance devour him. What he really wanted to do was tell Sonny to shove all this polite, political crap and find Elizabeth. The only reason he hadn't shot everyone the bird, was because Mrs. Gianni and her men knew the hotel like the back of their hands. And he wasn't one to piss on an advantage like that. So that let Johnny in the spot light.

"Yeah. Maybe after we find your wife, and you two have some time alone together, we can talk about it."

Something dimmed in Jason's eyes, blowing out a long breath Jason let out a dry laugh. "Man she must be riding your ass about being a wuss."

Blinking slightly, Johnny's face turned an unbecoming red. "I aint no wuss."

"So you've waited over a year to tell me you're in love with my sister because . . ." Yeah, he was being about as mature as a third grader, but at least this was something to distract him.

"Who the hell said I was in love with her?" Clearly flustered, Johnny twitched like a bug under a magnifying glass.

"Oh, so you just used her last Forth of July when you two were messing around on my couch." The guard looked like a sinking ship. His expression looked as though he was about to make one last ditch effort to fight, but in the end he calmly gave up and allowed himself to be dragged down.

"I wasn't using her. It was more like her attacking me." With a deep painful groan, Johnny shook his head, trying to dislodge the memory. "But, you're right." Licking his lips and taking a quick sweep of the room to make sure no one else was listening, Johnny swallowed hard. "I. I am in love with your sister."

Jason stood staring at his friend, replaced his gun in his holster and placed a hand on Johnny's thick shoulder. "It's about time you big fat wuss."

Johnny looked back at Jason a little shell shocked, before a wide cheesy grin spread across his face. "I aint no wuss."

Sonny took a look at the chaos surrounding him and wished furiously for a strong, smooth glass of Whiskey. As much as he enjoyed the monitory gain he and Jason were getting from their new partnership in the casino, he could do without the rest of the insanity.

"Mrs. Gianni we really do appreciate how you want to help. But really, it's not necessary." Trying to turn on the charm, Sonny soon found the small woman's icy eyes pointed in his direction.

"There's no need to blow smoke up my ass Mr. Corinthos. If our roles were reversed, me in your territory with a loved one missing, partnership or no partnership, would you sit back and allow us to take action?" Not waiting long to allow him to mull over her question, Mrs. Gianni smiled, cold and calculating. "And I also know how you and Me. Morgan feel about this intrusion."

"No -." Feeling as though he'd deeply insulted the older woman, Sonny felt like a young boy who'd just insulted his own mother.

Waving off the rest of his reply, Mrs. Gianni rolled her eyes. "And to tell you the truth I'd feel the same way put in the same situation. But there is a method to my madness." Turning to her men, she gave a curt nod and the well trained monkey's headed toward the door. "Consider us a smoke screen. Making that disgusting rat who took Elizabeth feel as though they've pulled a fast one over on us."

"I'm not following." Hating the knowing way the woman gazed at him, Sonny tried to remind himself he was a grown man with a very successful business.

"I've already explained how to get to the basement." Checking her purse, she seemed satisfied and snapped it shut sharply. " My men will be making a scene in the lobby and the main casino. Giving you guys time to get Elizabeth and make that shlub pay."

Seeing that they weren't going to have to drag a parade of over dressed Olympic sized men along with them, Sonny gave a short bark of laughter. Deciding never to cross paths with the pie baking, Grandmotherly Mrs. Gianni, Sonny graced her with a quick kiss on her soft cheek. "You are a gem."

"Noted." Patting his cheek in return, Mrs. Gianni's eyes glimmered. "I expect your lovely fiancé and the Morgan's for dinner tomorrow night."

"As you wish." Chuckling as the woman waved and made her exit, Sonny wondered how and where he decided that woman shouldn't be included in the business.

The basement of the hotel was a maze of concrete hallways. They'd passed several hotel employees, busy with their daily routines. Maids stacking large fluffy towels on over laden carts. Grumbling to one another about rude customers and the state of some of the rooms. Maintenance crews skirted past the five large men as the walked without hesitation.

"How many freaking rights have we taken?" Grumbling under his throat, Francis nodded at the group of young bellboys who'd stepped out of a room that appeared to be some sort of a break room. "I can't see anyone being stupid enough to take Elizabeth down here. Too many people."

"Mrs. G said there's a unused corridor down here. Storage area." Max rolled his neck, satisfied with the loud cracking noise that made Francis wince.

"If its used as storage, how can it be unused?" With a cocky grin, Johnny ignored the rude jester Francis gave him.

"How come you've been such a damn wuss about talking to Jason about Emily?" Johnny's face flushed as the other two men gave one another a high five.

"Screw off -."

"Take your next left." Jason cut Johnny off.

Slowing down as a unit, they each were a little surprised to find the hubbub of the hotel staff had dwindled down to nothing. Johnny held up his hand and signaled the rest to stop.

"Did you hear that?" In a hushed tone, he took a step closer to the corner where they were to take their next turn. A door slammed shut and silence followed. All five men pulled out their weapons and waited. When all they were greeted with was silence, Johnny dropped his hand and signaled to the rest that he'd go check it out.

She knew she was on the ground. A different ground than the one she'd been staring at the last few hours, but still she was lying on her side on whitish linoleum. Her head hurt worse in this position, if that was humanly possible, but she still refused to give up the ruse of her being unconscious.

Not that she hadn't slipped off now and then.

It worried her that she couldn't hear anything. The man. Carly. There was no voices. No sound of feet pacing nervously nearby. It was as if she'd been dumped somewhere. And hope started to grow.

Slowly tilting her head to the right, Elizabeth saw she was in a hallway. More importantly an empty hallway. Before she could move any further, the sound of rustling clothing behind her had her blood run cold.

Then within a blink of an eye the world exploded around her.

Out of thin air, Johnny seemed to just pop-up at the end of the hall. Gunfire, loud as cannons went off above her head. Elizabeth didn't even have a chance to scream before Johnny hit the ground. Blood already appearing on the front of his white shirt. And for the first time in her life, Elizabeth knew fear.


	32. Chapter 32

Death. Never wanted, but always expected. Never convenient, picking a choosing it's timing at the worst possible moment. Death was just another added 'feature' of the lifestyle he choose. Whether it was ridding their world of an annoyance, a threat. Or could be like now, watching helpless, as a comrade fell. It was part of life's ironic circle of life. The only thing that mattered, was how one lived. How they spent their days. The chances they took. The people they affected. It was a never ending cycle that didn't mean a damn until the person dying was someone you knew.

None of these thoughts skimmed through Jason's head. It all happened so fast. One moment Johnny was looking over his shoulder, throwing them his trade mark smirk. Then with a blink of an eye, the bone shattering sound of gun fire echoed off cement walls.

Standing only ten feet away, Jason found his heart lodged in his throat as Johnny clutched at his chest and dropped to his knees. The man who had taught him how to shoot with deadly accuracy so many years ago, was now bleeding on the ground.

"Jase." Feeling someone tugging on his arm, Jason had half a mind to brush off the intrusion. Instinct ruled his mind. Johnny needed help. The man who had stolen his sister's heart, but had been noble enough to keep his distance, needed him.

"Don't be stupid." Sonny's dangerous tone cut through the fog in Jason's head. "You'll just get yourself shot." Though his tone was still dark, Jason knew Sonny was already beating himself up.

Guilt. It was just another wonderful feature of their life. When one of their employees were taken down, it was much more than a possible down sizing. It was losing a family member. A matter not taken lightly.

"We passed a hallway." Already on his way back from where they came, Francis had his firearm in his palm. "I'm gonna see if I can get that bastard from behind." Not waiting for Jason or Sonny's permission, the large man's back was already halfway down the hall.

"We need to be careful." Letting go of Jason's jacket one finger at a time, Sonny looked his long time friend in the eye. Searching the steel gray orbs to make sure they were on the same page. "It's apparent they're playing for keeps, and they have Elizabeth."

Shutting his eyes against the pain, Jason gave a numb nod and again tried to clear his head. "He should've been wearing a vest."

"He was." Max's usually boisterous voice was barely above a whisper. "He always wears one."

Snapping his attention back to his fallen friend, Jason's lip curled. "Then would you care to explain why he's swimming in a pool of blood?"

When no one spoke, Jason clenched and unclenched his fists. "I'm going."

"Wait for Francis." Sonny's words were wasted on deaf ears as Jason edged toward the connecting corridor. "Or don't."

Taking each step with deadly intent, he unhooked his pistol from his side. "I'm gonna throw my weapon where you can see it."

Silence engulfed the hallway, but he did as he said. The loud sharp echo of metal hitting cement bounced of the walls. Taking another step, Jason was feet away from Johnny. A flash of relief ignited in his chest when the other man let out a ragged breath.

Turning his deadly gaze down the hallway, Jason found a gun pointing at his chest.

But that wasn't what made Jason's blood run cold. It was the motionless form of his wife's body lying discarded on the floor. Her hair hung limply across her face, almost covering her eyes. She looked so small, so delicate.

"I sure hope you brought the money Morgan." The man on the other end of the gun stepped past Elizabeth, barely missing her tiny hand with his heavy boot. In his other hand he dragged Carly from behind. Bound and gagged, she twisted to free herself from his grasp, only to be harshly shoved from behind.

"You can have this Bitch for free." Jason watched with little satisfaction as Carly crashed to the ground. Nor did he bother himself by trying to catch her. "If I were you, I'd get rid of her. She's a little used up, if you know what I mean. But I'm sure you already knew that."

Still not saying a word, Jason kept himself in check when Carly crawled over to him on her hands and knees. Her mascara smudged eyes pleaded with him as her mouth babbled incoherently. He wanted to lash out at her. To kick her in her tear stained face. But he didn't have the time to waste.

"Jason please, please don't be mad. I-I was just mad and upset, it was all talk. I had no idea he'd take me seriously." He'd never noticed before that very moment how badly her voice irritated him. Every other word out of her pouty little mouth was a lie, the half her latest scheme. There had been a time when he'd found her somewhat attractive. But having to deal with her selfishness over the last few years, her looks faded. She did look used. "Jason he's insane. You have to believe me. I told him to leave Elizabeth alone."

"Don't!" Keeping his eye on the gun pointed at his chest, Jason winced when he felt her hand tugging on his jacket. "You have no right to even say Elizabeth's name. You crossed the line Carly, and you're going to find that life is about to get real tough."

"You can't mean that." Anger was now slurred into her words. "We have a family together."

"No I have a family. You have a little boy you use as leverage." Wrenching her hand from his clothing, Jason took a step away.

"So, about my money?" Jason barely blinked at the smirking man's request. Taking his time, something he didn't have to spare, he deliberately allowed his eyes to drift to Elizabeth. To skim over her small form. From the top of her head to the tips of her toes. The other man's gaze followed Jason's gaze. "Don't let the bumps and bruises worry you none. She'll wake up sooner or later, without a single memory of this . . ." Waving the gun slightly to the right as he searched for the right words, he chuckled softly. "Business deal."

"I don't do business with men who beat women. Especially when the woman is my wife." Jason growled from deep inside.

Kurt shrugged his shoulders. "Not all of us have the money to be that noble. I'll remember that little rule when you fill my accounts with green." Movement on the floor caught his attention. Carly was inching her way to Morgan's discarded gun. He could just shoot her now but he was curious to see who she'd use it on.

Jason was about to lift his eyes from Elizabeth when he noticed that her eyes were slightly open. Picking up on other little motions, Jason's lips curled into a humored smirk. So she'd been playing possum. Clearly awake and alert, Jason couldn't be more proud.

"Walk away now and I'll let you live."

"Morgan, don't fuck with me. I walk now, I wont make it to the street before I'm wrapped in plastic wrap and keeping the frozen meats company." Taking a deliberate step closer to Elizabeth, Kurt watched the way Jason's jaw clenched. "So, I was thinking I'd take the Misses with me for a little bit. Until I have the money and can disappear."

Tilting his head to the side, Jason analyzed his enemy. "Here's what I was thinking. You drop the fucking gun and I'll end your pathetic life -."

"Jason, behind you!" Elizabeth's terror filled voice filled the hallway. Making Kurt jump in shock and causing Jason to spin around just in time to watch Carly pick up his discarded weapon. Barely in her grip, two shots went off.

Death. It always comes. Whether after a long tiring journey, or right in the middle. Young and old. Tall and short. It happens to all.


	33. Chapter 33

Slowly slipping through the fog in her head, Elizabeth felt a pain in her chest that had her gasping for air.

"Easy." A gentle voice soothed away some of the pain. "Elizabeth can you hear me?"

"How is she?" Another voice, barely above a whisper, came from the other direction. Elizabeth fought to open her eyes, but found it too exhausting. Instead she allowed the voices to lull her back to sleep.

"The doctor said she's going to be fine."

"Good." Brenda looked down at the young woman she'd only meet days ago, and felt sick. So much pain, and it wasn't even close to being over. "I'll stay here if you want to go sit with Johnny."

Emily laid her head on the bed near Elizabeth's hand. "I can't believe this is happening. It's my fault you know. I'm the one who invited her here. Did you know we were going to do Spring Break at Ft. Lauderdale?"

"But you came here for my wedding instead." Sucking on her lower lip, Brenda sighed. "If it's anyone's fault it's mine."

"How about we call it a tie and both feel like crap?" Taking Elizabeth's hand into her own, Emily brought it to her lips. "I wont be long."

Watching Emily gather her stuff, Brenda waited until the younger woman left the room. Tears caused by pent up emotions slipped from her tired eyes. They'd been room hopping the last two days. And she was so worn out. Emotionally and physically. But she couldn't let go yet. Not until they all got through this. Then she'd lock herself in her room and have a good cry for a week, maybe two.

"I thought I told you to go back and take a nap." Sonny's concerned voice came from the doorway. "You're exhausted."

"Who isn't?" Wiping the moisture from her eyes before her fiancé could see, Brenda sucked in a deep breath of stagnant hospital air. "Honestly, I'm still having a hard time believing any of this happened."

Caressing her cheek with the back of his hand, Sonny let his eyes drift over to the bed. "Still hasn't woken up?"

"Not yet." Shaking her head listlessly, Brenda took Elizabeth's hand into hers. "But occasionally I get the feeling that she can hear us." Looking up, her eyes read volumes. Better to keep the conversation limited.

"How's Emily holding up?" Kneading her shoulders, Sonny felt a better when she started to relax.

Her muscles tensed again. "Her best friend is in the hospital. The love of her life in ICU -."

"Shh, I know. What I meant, does she need anything?"

"No." Sighing, she leaned back against Sonny's chest. "I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just. This is all. My head is going in a hundred different directions."

Kissing the top of her head, Sonny wrapped his arms tightly around the tiny woman in front of him.

"I'm starting to wonder if you're staying asleep so you don't have to face me." Brushing a light brown lock away from his forehead, Emily drank in every curve, every freckle, every scar. She was terrified she'd walk into Johnny's room one day and find it empty. "I know you O'Brien. You're just being a big fat baby."

Watching the green line of the monitor on the other side of the bed, Emily thanked God every time it went up and down. With each beep, it meant that Johnny was hanging in there.

"Max told me you and Jason talked." She wouldn't break down. Not here, not now. If there ever was a time she needed to be brave, it was now. "He wouldn't tell what about, but I have a theory."

Taking a shaking breath, she looked out in the hallway to where the hospital staff were going about their daily routine. Laughing and joking with one another, while her life was falling down around her. And there wasn't a thing she could do.

At that very moment, Jason was probably feeding Michael breakfast. While packing up the house he and Carly had shared. He was planing on taking the penthouse across the hall from Sonny and Brenda. He'd refused to listen to her, or to anyone, when Elizabeth's name was mentioned.

Convinced now more than ever, that Elizabeth was better off without him. They had argued the night he'd packed his bag and left for New York. They fought the next day when he'd called to say he'd arrived and already had met with Alexis, who was currently drawing up divorce papers. After that, Emily took great pains not to talk to her brother, and when she found herself cornered she refused to talk about her best friend. The entire situation was making her sick.

Three floors down, Elizabeth's kidnapper lay in a cold drawer in the morgue. It seemed that one Kurt Logan, had the misfortune to get behind the wheel after a long night bar hopping. It didn't seem to matter to the local police or the coroner, that Mr. Logan had been dead long before his car went off the road.

Death, pain, anguish. Until her dying day, Emily would never forget the look of terror in her brother's eyes when he'd burst into her hotel room. Elizabeth clutched tightly to his chest. Blood from his shoulder smeared the front of his shirt, but he hadn't seemed to notice.

He'd stayed by Elizabeth's side the first twenty-four hours. Holding her hand, stroking her face. It wasn't until Mrs. Gianni's personal physician announced that Elizabeth needed medical assistance, from doctors who still had their diplomas hanging on their walls.

Jason had waited for the nursing staff to get Elizabeth comfortable before kissing her one last time. He'd stopped by Johnny's room, said his good-byes and left before Brenda raked him over the coals, again.

"Emily." Max came rushed to the door, his face slightly flushed as his eyes glowed with happiness. "She woke up."

She knew he was gone. The second before she'd opened her eyes, Elizabeth could just feel that he wasn't there. Now she didn't know what hurt more, her head or her heart.

"Elizabeth!" Emily came rushing through the door, her eyes bright even though they were rimmed with dark circles. "Thank god you're awake."

Offering a shaky smile, Elizabeth accepted her friends heartfelt embrace. Everyone seemed to be taking turns talking. The hospital room was filled. Sonny and Brenda sitting by her bedside, Max and Francis at the foot of the bed. Emily was perched on the empty spot on the bed beside her, gently stroking her hair.

But no matter how many people were in the room with her, she couldn't help the cold sweep of emptiness consume her. What she wanted, was to see a pair of warm, comforting blue eyes gazing back at her. Telling her everything was going to be all right.

"Where's Jason?" She hated how tiny and afraid her voice sounded. But the panic inside her chest was making it hard to think.

Nodding toward Francis, Sonny waited until the guard closed the door to her room before speaking. "How much do you remember?"

Licking her dry, chapped lips Elizabeth thanked Emily for the cup of water pressed into her hand. Taking a deep swallow, she gave herself a moment to process the images that were haunting her. "Some maybe, it's just . . . I can't tell what's real or a nightmare." There had been gunfire. She was sure of that. And blood. There had been so much blood. "He's gone isn't he?"

Sonny's face shadowed. "You don't need to worry about that bastard getting his hands on you, ever again." Confused, Elizabeth's brows knitted together.

"Sonny." Leaning over to her fiancé, Brenda patted his back. "I think she's asking about Jason."

The room grew quiet, and everybody seemed to find the floor extremely interesting. It wasn't until Emily cleared her throat. "Could you all give us a moment?"

Looking slightly relieved, Max and Francis both made promises to be back later that day before they hightailed it out of the room. Sonny and Brenda said their good-byes, and with said eyes they left.

"Emily what's going on?" Closing her eyes, Elizabeth braced herself for the pain that was coming. She could feel it. Something inside her was already dying.

"I was so scared for you. No one knew what was going on." Clearly skirting the topic Emily tried to find a way to force the words she'd been reciting in her head. Ever since her no good brother had called from Port Charles, she knew she'd be left explaining. Not that Jason was the type to shirk his responsibilities. But with Carly, how had he put it? Gone. He needed to get to Michael and make sure there were no snags where the little boy was concerned.

"He's leaving me." Guilt was written all over Emily face, and Elizabeth gulped past the anger and pain that was suffocating her. Choking down a strangled laugh, she covered her face with shaking hands. "He left me."

"Jason's blaming himself for what happened." Picking at the hospital issue bedspread, Emily's eyes burned. "If it means anything, I know he loves you. He came close to losing you, and I really think it scared him."

"And he doesn't think I'm scared?" Pain gave way to the wave of anger that whipped through her.

"He had to be with Michael. If the Quartermain's found that Carly was, gone, they'd try anything to get their hands on him."

Emily's words made her feel about an inch big. Here she was feeling sorry for herself, when a little boy had lost his mother. "How did she . . . She is dead, right?"

Shrugging her shoulder's Emily shook her head. "I haven't been able to get much from the guys. I know Johnny was shot. If it weren't for his vest." Sucking in a deep breath, Emily's body began to tremble. "He could've died. He still could. The bullet grazed an artery, he lost so much blood. There must have been some kind of altercation. Because Jason was also shot. But it was a clean wound. That's all I know."

Elizabeth remained silent for a moment. "I can remember a little bit."

"You don't have to say anything right now."

"I remember hearing Carly and some guy fighting."

"Kurt. The jerk who helped Carly." Fire blazed like Hades in Emily's eyes. "He's also the one who shot Johnny."

"Then I was lying on a cold floor. I saw Johnny. I watched him get shot." The memory was sharp as a knife. Slowly the fog began to recede. She remembered Carly, on her knees begging Jason to listen to her. To help her. He'd brushed the blonde to the side. Which was probably made Carly do what she did.

She'd watched as Carly crawled on hands and knees to a black object on the ground just feet from where Jason left her. It didn't register that Carly was holding a gun, until she watched the other woman lift it toward her husband. She'd yelled out in warning. And Carly moved her aim past Jason's chest, to where she was lying helplessly on the ground.

Two shots rang out. Almost sounding as one, but in the echo, Elizabeth knew there had been two.

Jason took one in his shoulder, and while he struggled to remain on his feet, Francis had snuck up on Kurt. On the other end of the hallway, Carly look unnaturally white. And Johnny was leaning on his elbow, lowering his other arm.

"Johnny shot her." Almost numb from the shock, and pain, Elizabeth ignored Emily's surprised expression. "She'd tried shooting me with Jason's gun. Everything happened so quickly. Jason jumped in front of her and got hit. He'd been trying to protect me."

"Elizabeth," Looking confused, Emily made a face in reflection. "You were lying on the ground, right?"

"Yeah."

"He got shot in the shoulder. If you and Carly were both on the ground, wouldn't she have hit his leg if she was aiming for you?"

Closing her eyes against the queasy feeling in her stomach, Elizabeth didn't know what to think. It didn't make sense. "I don't know. I guess everything is all screwy in my head."

"Well you've been through a lot. Why don't you rest for a little bit?"

Already half asleep, Elizabeth's eyes fluttered opened. "I know he's going to divorce me. So please stop worrying about how you're going to tell me." Without another word, she drifted off into slumber.


	34. Chapter 34

"I don't feel right about this." Emily said gloomily. Her bloodshot eyes swept across the hotel room and started to water. With a sniff, she lowered herself down on the side of the bed , and watched as Elizabeth took the last of her clothes from the closet.

"Em." Elizabeth, heard the way her voice cracked and took a moment to pull herself together. Her head still felt like an over played bongo, every muscle in her body screamed in protest when she moved. But it was better than how her heart felt.

"You know I love you. I've never had a best friend like you before, your practically my sis - . . ." Ignoring the stabbing pain in her chest, Elizabeth forced a smile. "Johnny needs you. The poor guy just woke up and confessed his love to you. I'm not about to stand in the way because of a few bruises."

"You need me too." Emily pointed out, clearly torn. "Why don't you come back to Port Charles with us. You can stay with me at my parents."

Almost dropping her cosmetic bag, Elizabeth saved it before her slip was noticed."I can't just leave school, my parents would kill me."

Clearly wanting to explore her suggestion, Emily stood up from the bed and blocked the suitcase. "There's no way you can catch up now."

"Gee thanks."

"That's not what I meant. We've both missed enough that it'd take forever to catch up. If you come we can both start Fall classes at Port Charles University."

"No."

"It's a lot bigger town then I've let on. There's tons to do there. I promise. And if you worried about bumping into - ." Elizabeth's mouth tightened enough to make Emily not say Jason's name. "I'm just saying it's a big town."

"I don't want to be without you either Emily." Knowing her best friend was only trying to make sure everyone was happy. It was like a sickness with Emily. Wanting to smooth out all the wrinkles, make sure no one was upset, or feeling left out. Elizabeth knew it wouldn't matter if Port Charles was the size of Texas. Just knowing Jason was in the same town would hurt.

"You're still recovering."

"I'm a lot stronger than you think." She was lying through her pearly whites. But as long as Emily believed her that's all that mattered.

"I never said you weren't strong. Jesus Elizabeth." Emily snatched the jeans Elizabeth was about to toss into the case. "Will you just say his freaking name. Curse him out or something. You haven't even cried yet. After everything that's happened, why haven't you just broken down and had yourself a good cry? You can't keep it bottled up."

Grabbing the pants back a little more forcefully than she'd intended, Elizabeth made a great show of packing the rest of her clothing as Emily waited for a response. Not cry? Is that what her best friend thought? That since that horrible day she hadn't shed a tear? If she were to say that every night she laid in bed, her body curled up like a baby until she wept herself into exhaustion.

She'd cry about losing Jason. Of almost dying. Johnny coming closer to dying. Jason almost getting shot. Knowing she'd have to say goodbye to Emily. Of being alone. But there was no way she could tell any of this to Emily. Or she'd feel even worse because she decided to stay with Johnny.

Apparently everyone was under the impression that her heart had become glacier. Or she'd claimed a space in denial land. No wonder everyone was tip toeing around her like she was some massive time bomb. Better to keep up the charade, then dump a load full of misery on the only person she'd ever been able to count on.

"What was he . . . " Rolling her eyes at Emily's smirk, Elizabeth forced herself to say his name this one time. "What was Jason supposed to do? Stay with a girl he hardly knows. Who he accidently married because he had a few too many to drink. Or go home to his son? Michael needed him." With a careless shrug of her shoulders Elizabeth took a quick scan of the room, purposly skipping over Emily's unsmiling face.

"You're not even going to try and fight for him?"

Like he fought for me? A nasty little voice answered back in Elizabeth's head. "What's there to fight for? He doesn't want me in his life Emily." Needing to steer the conversation into safer territory, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "Can we please not talk about this my last night in town. I haven't been allowed out of bed for the last week. I was stuck in a hospital bed for two weeks before that. Let's go get Brenda, rent a few chick flicks and eat till we get sick."

Reaching out and wrapping her hand around Emily's, Elizabeth stopped and looked at her friend's unconvinced face. "Em, I promise to have a good cry when I get home."

November

"No, I don't understand." Gritting her teeth down to nubs, Elizabeth tried to keep quiet as the woman on the other end of the line finished repeating the same answer for the fifth time. "So let me get this straight. My electric bill, that's in my name - for my apartment - keeps getting changed to a New York address?"

"Exactly." The woman on the other end of the line breathed a great big breath of relief.

Squeezing her eyes shut and counting to ten, Elizabeth told herself not to lose her patients. Because once that happened, the people on the other end of the phone had a nasty habit of hanging up on her.

There'd been Juan from the phone company. Phoebe from the cable company. Some sweet little lady on the other end of the phone at the admissions office. And Gus. Well he actually just slammed the door in her face.

"Connie -."

"It's Candy." The woman replied.

"Sorry. Candy, I've had a long day, so please bare with me." Pausing to keep her tone in check, Elizabeth went on. "Is it normal for the billing address to just . . . change magically?"

"Not really."

"Hmm." Pursing her lips together tightly, Elizabeth nodded. "Okay. And is it normal for a bill, going to the wrong address, hundreds of miles away, get paid?"

"Well you could've sent in a payment without the statement."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. I could've. But I didn't." Her voice gradually growing louder, Elizabeth knew the conversation was getting no where. "And I know how did. I've asked you people every month for the last seven months to stop changing the mailing address."

"Ma'am, if you can't keep this conversation on a professional level, I will -."

"Disconnect the call." Elizabeth finished the woman's sentence. "Here let me save you the trouble."

Slamming the phone down with a few select words that would make a pirate blush, Elizabeth wished she could give the person responsible a few carefully selected words. For someone who wanted to stay out of her life, he sure did his damnedest to intrude.

For Christsake they weren't even married anymore, hadn't been since June. When the large envelope had been dropped off to her. No phone call warning her that it was coming. No little note telling her he wished her well and good luck in life. She would've taken a "Thanks for all the fun we had between the sheets". But apparently she was no longer a blip on Jason Morgan's radar.

She'd been so fired up, she'd almost called him to rake him over the coals. To tell him what a jackass he was. Of how he'd broken her heart. But it wasn't until she'd picked up the phone that she realized she didn't have his phone number. Seeing that it was unlikely that someone in the Mob would be listed, Elizabeth knew she could call Emily for it.

But then Emily would want to talk about it. To sit and analyze why Jason was acting like this. Talk about how perfect of a pair she and Jason would've made. Then she would have to hear how wonderful everything was going for Emily and Johnny.

Not that she hadn't been thrilled when the two gotten engaged. Or how he'd found her just the right house and surprised her with it. Well she did hold back the gagging sound of jealousy she'd been feeling, only because Elizabeth wanted Emily to be happy.

By the time she'd stopped feeling bad about avoiding Emily the raging fire was back to a manageable size. Without waiting, she read over the neatly- almost uncomprehensible mumbo-jumbo. Crossing over the alimony amount and writing down that she wanted nothing, she'd signed on the dotted line. Sealed up the papers, licked a few stamps and walked it down to the mailbox, and a few more blocks, to a not so picky bar and got sloppy drunk.

The irony wasn't wasted on her.

The sound of the phone brought her back.

"Hello?"

"Tell me you're gonna come." Emily's cheerful voice broke through some of the gloom Elizabeth was feeling.

"Come where?"

"No, that's not how it works." Emily laughed. "Just say you're gonna come."

Getting caught up in her friends obvious joy, Elizabeth also laughed. "Fine I'm coming."

"Great. Your tickets should be delivered today."

" . . . Emily you've lost me here."

"Johnny and I have set a date. And though at first, I wanted to force you to keep the oath you made Freshman year to be my Maid of Honor, I wanted to give you a chance to back out. Now that I've got that out of the way, I need you here a couple days before Christmas."

Blinking, Elizabeth felt blindsided, by a big, out of control Mac truck. Which after some reflection she'd probably figure out was Emily's entire plan. "Be where?"

"Port Charles silly. Johnny and I are getting married on New Year's Eve. Now you're fitting will be the day after you get here-."

"Emily you know I love you - ."

"Elizabeth, before you finish that thought let me explain a few things to you. I'm getting married to a man my entire family, minus Jason, hates. My Grandfather calls me on an hourly basis with his bipolar episodes. My Mother is trying to be happy for me, but looks ready to start popping pills. Brenda is here for me, but as much as I like her . . . she's not you. So I'm going to pull the insane-bride-on-a-rampage-card. I know I'm asking a lot, the whole you and Jason thing crossed my mind, but I can't help being selfish."

"Are you finished?"

"Are you coming?" Emily fired back.

Taking a look around the empty living room, Elizabeth groaned.

Squealing on the other end of the phone, Emily could be heard kissing the mouthpiece. "I knew I could count on you."


	35. Chapter 35

Deep breathes. People always seemed to say that thinking that a few deep cleansing breathes could take away a building panic attack.

"Crap. It's all utter crap." Elizabeth mumbled under her breath and tried to dislodge her fingernails from the armrest. The plane had taken off over an hour ago. And the higher up in the air she got, it started to dawn on her that this was all too much. That there were some real serious issues that perhaps she should've cleared up before take off.

But instead, she was flying into it. Going to Emily's wedding, where she'd without a doubt run into Jason.

"Sweetheart, I'm afraid if you don't let go, they'll need the Jaw's of life to get you out of your seat." The woman sitting in the seat next to Elizabeth patted her white knuckles, her eyes filled with compassion. "Hate to fly too huh?"

Up until that moment, the middle-aged woman had been snoring silently next to her. Elizabeth wasn't entirely sure she wanted the intrusion. "Something like that."

"Yeah, I hate to fly too." Smiling the woman took a sip from the soda the attendant had left after take off. "Going to visit family?"

"No. My best friend is getting married." Jason's face flashed before her eyes again.

"Oh what a wonderful time of year to start a brand new life." The woman smiled, sighing in the way only someone who'd never had their heart shattered could. "Are you in the wedding?"

Smiling back as politely as she could and returned her gaze to the back of the headrest in front of her, knowing she must've looked slightly constipated. "I'm the Maid of Honor."

"I was the Maid of Honor in my Sister's wedding three years ago. I met my second husband there. He was the Best Man."

Snapping her eyes from the forward position, Elizabeth looked at the woman. "Excuse me?"

"My husband was Best Man." The words didn't really penetrate. Who was Best Man? Surely Emily and Johnny wouldn't. No, it'd be Francis or Max. Fates couldn't really be that cruel. Dear Lord she was going to hurl.

"Honey you look white as a ghost!"

"I don't feel too good."

"Here hold on." Leaning forward, the woman rummaged in a black carry-on bag. "I usually don't do this, but I can't stand to see you so miserable." Popping the lid off the top of a little brown bottle and shaking a pretty little pink pill in the palm of her hand, the woman kept talking. "I have to do quiet a bit of traveling for my job, and between you and me, I look a lot worse for wear than you do right now." Setting the pill on the tray next to Elizabeth's glass of wine she'd given up drinking. It was amazing how easy it was to get served a few hundred miles up in the air. "They help with anxiety. Make you a little sleepy, but it's better than dwelling on the what ifs that never happen."

Staring at the pink pill, Elizabeth had an image of Alice in Wonderland. Besides, hadn't she learned in school not to take candy from a stranger.

"You don't have to take it." Snapping the lid shut, Ms Pill Pusher sat back again. "But if you do, promise not to drive directly after. I'd hate to be responsible if something happened to you."

"Promise." Elizabeth turned to thank the woman for her thoughtfulness and saw she'd fallen back to sleep again.

Letting out a deep breath, she tried closing her eyes. But each time Jason's ruggedly handsome face would swim before her eyes. Her heart would lurch, while her stomach would drop altitude. Grabbing her travel CD from her travel bag, she shoved the headset on and concentrated on music. Closing herself relax a little, it wasn't until Arvil's voice started to blare, thanking some unknown jerk for dumping her, when Elizabeth was ready to start screaming.

She was past exhaustion. Lack of sleep, crappy sleeping habits, stress from finals and Emily's pending wedding. Plus her on going fight with the utility companies.

Her eyes snapped open and rested on the pill sitting innocently on the tray in front of her. Looking sideways at the woman beside her, Elizabeth studied the woman. She didn't look like some stung out drugie. And her doctor did prescribe the pills, so she didn't go to the local high school for them.

Tapping her fingers on the armrest, Elizabeth tried to think of how taking the pill would have some horrible backlash. She could be allergic. Though she'd never, in her life been allergic to anything.

The nice woman had said they'd make her a little tired. In fact, she seemed quiet coherent when they'd been talking. Not once trace of being stoned.

There was another three hours to go.

"Eat me." Elizabeth smirked, picking up the tiny pink pill. "Drink me." With her other hand, she picked up the almost full glass of wine. "Cheers."

"I still can't believe you got her to come." Staring at the gate, Brenda watched as the plane started to unload.

"I didn't give her much of a choice." Standing on tiptoe, Emily tried to look over the shoulder of the balding man in front of her.

"Does Jackass know yet?"

"Brenda, when are you going to stop calling him that?"

"When hell freezes over." Brenda answered sweetly between clenched teeth. "He's lucky Sonny put his foot down and lifted the ban I placed on him coming into the penthouse."

"You dumped a pitcher of lemonade on him as a Welcome back present."

"That was an accident and you know it." Brenda half-heartedly defended herself. "Didn't you get her first class?"

"Yeah." Looking around to make sure they hadn't missed her coming off yet, Emily frowned. "You don't think she backed out at the last second do you?"

"Let me see." Tapping her finger on her chin, Brenda looked thoughtful. "She had to be tricked/guilt tripped into even agreeing to come and be in your wedding. Then there's the inevitable encounter with Jackass. How do you think that conversation is going to go?" Clearly on a roll, Brenda stepped forward when the man in front of them left with the person they were waiting for. "Hey Jase, how's it hanging? Date an raging lunatics I should keep an eye out for?"

The corner of Emily's mouth twitched. "Stop. I have enough stuff I'm freaking out over that I don't want to dwell on the negative."

"Negative? Honey, that's not negative, it's nucleolar - Shit is that Elizabeth?"

Neither girl needed any conformation as they rushed forward to where Elizabeth was being led out by a harassed looking attendant and a guilty looking passenger.

"Elizabeth?" Getting to Elizabeth's side first, Emily brushed aside the attendant who looked ready to strangle her friend.

"Em, is that you?" Not lifting her head, Elizabeth swayed a little and leaned her weight into her friend. "When'd you get here?"

"I am so sorry." The woman on the other side of Elizabeth flushed and stared at Brenda with pleading eyes. "I didn't know she was drinking wine. She looked so young, it never crossed my mind."

"Slow down." Brenda placed a hand on the woman's shoulder gently.

"She was so tense. The poor girl looked like she was going to crack into a million pieces." Wide eyed the woman shook while looking at Elizabeth in her current condition. "I gave her one of my anxiety pills. I take them when I have to fly. But they really shouldn't take them with alcohol."

"Ms. Corinthos?" Max's voice came from behind, making both girls groan loudly.

"Max?" Elizabeth tried to lift her head. "I can't see you."

Looking like he was ready to start laughing, he quickly caught himself when Brenda shot him a sharp look. "Not a word Max. I swear not one single word to anyone."

"Absolutely, Ms. Corinthos."

"Why don't you get Elizabeth's bags while we get her to the limo." Brushing the frantic woman away from Elizabeth, Brenda looked over at Emily. "Does this girl ever get cut a break?"

"No." Emily answered gloomily.

"Your Sonny Corinthos's wife." The woman started babbling loudly, almost causing a scene. "Please, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to- ."

"It's okay." Brenda gritted out, while looking around at the curious glances they were getting. "You were only trying to help."

Without waiting for another word, the two girls helped one, very stoned Elizabeth from the airport.


	36. Chapter 36

"Here, drink this." Emily placed a paper coffee cup into Elizabeth's hand.

"That's how all this started." Giggling to herself, Elizabeth tried to bring the cup to her lips, almost missing and spilling the hot liquid down the front of her.

Ignoring Emily's panicked expression. Brenda waited until Elizabeth finished drinking and looked at her. "We really need you to pull it together. Emily's family is expecting us for dinner."

Wrinkling her nose, Elizabeth concentrated on Brenda's words. "You need me to act normal?"

Grabbing Elizabeth's shoulders, Emily grinned brightly. Thrilled that they were finally getting through. "Yes, we need you to act normal."

"I can do normal." Sounding as though she might actually be able to do this, Elizabeth looked past Emily's relieved expression to Brenda. "Who are you going to be?"

"Oh crap." Letting go of Elizabeth's shoulder's, Emily fell back against the plush seat. "I can't take her home like this."

"Are you kidding?" Helping Elizabeth take another drink, Brenda grinned. "I mean she's more sober than AJ's probably been in the last month."

"I can't believe you think this is funny."

"I can't believe you don't." Snorting, Brenda took the coffee away from Elizabeth. "We could always take her back to my place until she sobers up some more."

Looking at her watch, Emily shook her head. "Cook said she was putting dinner on the table at six. And you know how she is when people are late for her 'special' dinners."

"We could shove her face into the snow." Brenda suggested. The soon to be bride looked thoughtful. "It was a joke Emily."

"You two need to calm down." Elizabeth shook her head at the two of them. "I can be normal." Giggling again, it took her a moment to get herself together. "No really, I can. It's not like I'm going to start swinging from the curtains like Tarzan."

"Elizabeth, you peed in Kelley's parking lot when we were getting you coffee." Emily exclaimed.

"Well I had to go."

"Apparently."

"Why don't we just tell them what happened. It's not like Elizabeth's some kind of junkie. I'm sure they'd understand." This time she and Emily looked at one another and started laughing.

"Whatever you girls are gonna do you better figure it out now." Max called out as he turned the limo into the entrance of the Quartermaine estate.

"Do you really have to go?" Holding Michael close, Monica Quartermaine kissed her Grandson's cheek loudly before handing him over to her husband to do the same.

"It's almost Michael's dinner time, and we need to go up to see Lilah." Not meaning to stay as long as they had, Jason waited until Alan kissed Michael goodbye before taking his son into his arms.

"Why don't you stay?" Knowing she was suggesting the impossible, Monica knew the answer before she offered, but she hoped one day to be surprised.

"Monica when are you going to give up?" Edward's voice came from the doorway. "Jason doesn't want anything to do with us. If it weren't court ordered, he'd never bring Michael here twice a month, plus holidays. We'd never see hide or hair of either one of them." Waving his hand in Jason's general direction, Edward headed to the wet bar to pour himself a drink.

For the first time in a long time, Edward was actually right about something. If it weren't for one un-bribable judge, he wouldn't subject himself or Michael to these visits. They drained him. Having Monica with her searching eyes and hopeful invitations. Alan, working so damn hard on staying aloof, only it made him look more desperate than Monica. Then there was the old man.

Edward Quartermaine. The man was intrusive, opinionated and pushy. As far as Jason could see, Edward didn't approve of anything anyone did, didn't do, thought of doing. It drove him nuts to watch his Emily turn herself into knots each time she came home from school. But now she was home for good it was even worse.

He'd seen the way she'd tried to make the cranky old fart see what a good man Johnny was. Of how much she loved him. She'd been wasting her breath.

"Edward I thought you weren't feeling well." Monica asked.

"Well, I'm feeling better." A flush grew around the older man's collar. "And I came downstairs to make sure that delinquent doesn't forget to stop by Lilah's parlor before leaving."

Zipping Michael's jacket up, Jason tried to block out the bickering around him. Swinging the diaper bag over his shoulder, he picked up the toddler. "I'll be here around two on Christmas."

Not waiting for a reply, he hurried out of the room and up the stairs before they realized he and Michael had left. If he was lucky he could be out of the house before the war in the living room ended.

"Home sweet home." Staring at the door, Emily breathed deeply before turning to Elizabeth who was staring up at the icicles hanging off the eves. "Elizabeth are you sure you can do this?"

"Why? Still thinking about shoving my face in the snow?" A wicked smile curled onto her lips as she studied the long pointy objects. Tilting back a little too far, she lost her balance and slipped off the step.

"I don't know Tarzan, gonna swing from the curtains?" Offering her a hand up, Brenda looked into Elizabeth's dilated pupils. "Stoner."

"Princess."

"Okay, Elizabeth please whatever you do, please don't let my Grandfather get you mad." Looking nauseous, Emily closed her eyes. "Just give the sign if you feel like you can no longer do this. Brenda and I will get you out."

"Jesus Em, I'm starting to think you should've taken the little pink pill."

"I know I'm acting insane. But I can't help it. The seamstress mutilated my dress, the caterer thinks this is his wedding and keeps insisting that fish bake is the way to go. My Grandfather is acting worse then ever. He's boycotting the wedding and anyone who's supporting me. My mother is trying so hard to be happy that I think her face is going to crack."

Still rubbing her backside, Elizabeth slipped in the same spot and almost ended up on the ground again. "Doesn't anyone shovel their sidewalks anymore."

Brenda and Emily looked over to where Elizabeth was now muttering to herself. Brenda nodded, her brows raised. "Hell, with all that other stuff happening, this is nothing."

"You've got a point." Putting her hand on the doorknob, Emily knew it was now or never.

"He's grown so much." Watching Michael teeter across the room, Lilah sighed. "So are you two ready for Christmas?"

"I hope so." Jason chuckled as he thought of all the presents under the tree at home.

"Christmas is my favorite time of year." A soft smile touched her lips. "The decorations, brightly wrapped packages. And most importantly family." Laughing at the face Jason made, Lilah patted his hand. "Yes even this family."

"I'll take you on your word."

"Oh you just wait. One day you're going to find the woman who's going to take your breath away. No, I think she's going to have to be the type to knock you off your feet, literally." The words hit home, and it hurt like a SOB. What would his Grandmother say if she knew he'd found that girl and shoved her away, literally?

"Michael and I need to get going."

"I was hoping Emily would be here to see her nephew before you left." Smiling again when Michael laughed at nothing in particular, Lilah went on. "Enjoy these years Jason, they don't come again."

Picking up Michael Jason brought him over so Lilah could kiss him goodbye. "We'll see you Christmas afternoon."

"Merry Christmas Dear."

"Merry Christmas."

"Mom? Dad?" Walking into the house, followed by Brenda and Elizabeth, Emily didn't have to wait long before her parents and AJ joined them in the entranceway.

"AJ, when did you get here." Kissing her older brother on the cheek, Emily could smell he'd been drinking.

"Just a few minutes ago, I was just bonding with Grandfather." Smirking, AJ looked over to where Elizabeth was standing. "It's nice to see you again Elizabeth. You're looking prettier than ever."

Elizabeth smiled weakly and tried to step away when AJ came over to give her a friendly hug. The last and only time she'd seen him was when he'd stopped in to visit Emily in Colorado. He'd gone out and gotten wasted, only to come back to the apartment and puke all over her.

Trying to put space between herself and the oldest Quartermaine sibling, Elizabeth whispered into Brenda's ear. "I think I just threw up in my mouth."

Brenda covered her laugh by coughing into her fist.

Seeing Emily's pleading eyes, Elizabeth clamped her mouth shut. Looking around the room for something else to occupy her mind, she stopped on Emily's father's tie. The lines on it seemed to be moving in hypnotizing waves. And here she thought she was getting sober.

"I'd like to introduce you to Elizabeth Webber." Seeing that Elizabeth was staring wide-eyed at her father's multi colored tie, Emily gave her had a sharp squeeze. "Elizabeth this is Alan and Monica Quartermaine."

Knowing it was her time to perform, Elizabeth opened her mouth and for the first time in her life, found herself speechless. Instead she smiled and murmured a greeting.

"And this is my Grandfather, Edward Quartermaine." Emily's smile seemed to grow tight, and Elizabeth swung her eyes to the ever so famous man.

"It's nice to meet one of Emily's friends - who's not tied to the mob." Taking her hand in a firm handshake, Elizabeth felt Brenda pinch her from behind. "And you can ignore that deviant coming down the stairs." Edward growled over her shoulder. "He's not a person someone as respectable as yourself should become acquainted with."

Not needing to turn around to knew who the old windbag was talking about, Elizabeth felt the room sway and knew it had nothing to do with a pill. The hairs on the back of her neck began to rise, as goosebumps ran the length of her arms.

"Don't listen to him, he's full of hot air." Emily's mother pulled Edward off Elizabeth. "I'd like you to meet our Son, Jason and our Grandson Michael."

This was it. The thing she'd been dreading. And - screw that, the son of bitch was going to pay.


	37. Chapter 37

Somewhere in her befuddled mind, Elizabeth could've sworn she'd heard Emily whimper.

Fixing her 'Ain't I a precious angel' smile on her face, she turned to find Jason just feet away, standing on the last step on the staircase. His expression unreadable, while he shifted the weight of a red-haired boy on his hip.

She'd been unable to stop the tiny flip her heart did, or how her stomach tightened up into the size of a golf ball. Keeping her eyes from traveling the length of him was an impossibility. Drinking him from his heavy boots on up, bringing her eyes level with his.

God she wanted to just lick him. Like a lollipop. How many licks would it take to get to the center of . . . Squeezing her eyes shut, Elizabeth ordered herself to focus.

She'd been wanting to find some kind of faults she'd over looked. Lip a big fat mole on the end of his nose, or some incurable - lumpy rash that distorted his face. But instead he looked better than she remembered. Wide shoulders covered by his black leather jacket, slim hips all snug in his faded jeans, long legs, and the face of a Greek God.

The bastard, he looked good on purpose.

"We already know eachother." Even his stupid voice sounded like freaking honey with a touch of smooth whiskey. It just washed over her, making her almost ache for what could've been.

They so were not going to play it his way.

"Oh, I didn't know you'd already met." Elizabeth saw the confusion on Monica's face, and wanted to be a dear by making things clear. "We've talked a few times on the phone, when he'd call for Emily. But I wouldn't really say we know one another."

Turning back to him, Elizabeth prayed the floor would stay still as she took the necessary steps to where Jason was standing, studying her like she was some ugly little bug he found grossly interesting. "It's great to finally meet you. Emily's always gushing on about what a gr-reat guy you are."

Shaking his hand while shooting daggers at him with her eyes, Elizabeth went to pull away, only to find her hand encased in his much larger one. Trying again to pull away, her eyes flew to where their hands were joined and had an unnatural desire to bit him. But if she were to sink her front teeth into the back of his hand, Emily would probably lose it. So she opted to look back into his face again, with a nasty remark on her lips. But the angry, irritated smirk he shot back at her, made her forget what she was about to say.

"Nice to meet you."

"And this is our Grandson Michael." Alan tickled the toddlers chubby cheek.

AJ came to stand right behind Elizabeth, so close she could feel the creepiness oozing from him. "Who Jason stole from me. But that's a little part of our family history we like to keep out of civil conversations."

"Well perhaps you should've stayed sobber." Edward snarled, his jowls shaking in his anger. "You wouldn't have lost him to this - this hoodlum."

"Will you both put a sock in it?" Monica cried out. "We a guest in the house who doesn't need to know all of our dirty laundry."

Alan glared at his father and son. "No wonder Emily doesn't bring her friends around."

"Oh, don't worry. My family isn't much better." Trying to smooth things over, Elizabeth all but batted her eyes. "Just this year my sister had one too many while she was on vacation in Las Vegas. Ended up marrying some Schlub she didn't know. She never seems to get anything right."

Clearly taken aback, but interested at the same time, Alan and Monica exchanged glances with one another. It only took a few seconds before Monica asked. "What happened?"

"Oh, he ditched her." Attempting lamely to snap her fingers, Elizabeth tried again until she got it right. "She's not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Said one second they were talking about giving it a go, next thing she knows he vanished without a trace."

"Well." Seeing that Jason was clearly on the verge of saying something, Emily stepped in front of him and clasped her hands in front of her tightly. "That sister of yours never ceases to amaze me."

"How sad." Monica's face looked horrified. "What did she do?"

"Came back home with her tail between her legs. Signed the divorce papers when they came." Really into her role, Elizabeth sighed. "But, I told her that's what she gets for being such a . . . well for being too easy."

Snorting loud enough to echo off the walls, Edward shook his head in disgust. "That's the problem with today's youth. No respect for marital vows. No respect for themselves."

Jason didn't know if he wanted to wrap his hands around Elizabeth's slender throat, or put her over his knee until she was black and blue. Both ideas were extremely appealing, but the thought of Elizabeth's tight little backside up in the air . . . What he did know, was she was higher than a kite, and clearly on a roll.

He'd known the second Emily announced Elizabeth would be in the wedding it wasn't going to be smooth sailing. He'd failed her miserably, from beginning to - well he failed her. And it would only be natural she'd harbor some resentment. Hell he'd been afraid of his phone for weeks, expecting to hear her injured voice on the other end of the line. Calling him out on his inexcusable behavior. But when weeks had passed into months he'd assumed she'd recovered and had gone on with life.

"Perhaps we should make our way to the dinning room." Brenda's voice struggled to overpower the warring voices. Casting an amused look at Elizabeth, she took the younger woman's hand and started to drag her away. "Jason if you see Sonny let him know I'll be home later."

"Oh, you're not staying for dinner." Emily could've cried she was so happy. "That's just a shame. Well you drive safe." Kissing Michael on the cheek and trying to make a quick escape with the rest of the family as they made their way to the dining room, she felt Jason's free hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Would you like to tell me what that was about?" Shifting Michael at his hip, Jason watched Emily squirm.

"Not really."

"She's stoned off her ass."

"Not intentionally."

"Emily . . ."

"Some woman on the plane felt sorry for her, because she looked ready to explode and gave her a pill to relax. But didn't know Elizabeth had been drinking wine to sooth her nerves. So long story short, she mixed the pill with alcohol . . . and well she doesn't have that high of a tolerance . . ." Clearly out of words to say, Emily deflated. "She didn't want to come in the first place. But I forced her into it."

In other words, this was all his fault, Jason thought.

"Help me with Michael's coat." Handing his son over to his confused sister, Jason dropped the diaper bag to the ground and unzipped his jacket. Tossing it over the banister, Jason turned back to Emily.

"You're staying?" Clearly not thinking it was the best idea, Emily shook her head vigorously. Her hair swinging madly. "You can't stay. No. No, Jason she's out of her gourd right now. Saying and doing things . . . she's going to make herself sick over this tomorrow."

"A few words aren't going to hurt me." No, but the way her sharp little nails bit into the back of his hand still stung like a bitch. "This is my mess Emily."

Seeing that Jason wasn't really listening to her, Emily made one last ditch attempt to make him understand. "She mooned the parking attendant at the airport, then peed in Kelley's parking lot when stopped there to get coffee."" Pulling Michael's bib out of the diaper bag, Jason looked at Emily as though he hadn't heard her right. " What you saw was the eye of the storm. She's a menace right now, and you staying is only going to add fuel to the fire."

"Do you want me to leave? I will if that's what you really want. But Elizabeth and I have unfinished business, and sooner or later we're going to have to talk."

"Can't it be January first?"

Smiling at her pleading tone, he lifted a brow at his younger sister. "You said she was flying in after Christmas."

"I lied. Sue me." Emily grumbled. Looking down at her nephew, Emily rolled her eyes. "Stay. But I'm warning you now - we're having steak for dinner tonight."

"So."

"That means Elizabeth has access to a sharp instrument."

Peas were the craftiest little things. All round like and . . . green. A person had to be sneaky to get the best of this vegetable. It was a veggie right? No seeds inside. Or, was it a seed? Trying to pin one with her fork, taking her aggression out on it. Elizabeth frowned.

What did it take to get a rise out of Mr. Stick Up My Butt siting across from her. Since he'd taken the seat across from her she'd tried pushing his buttons. Apparently her ex-husband didn't have any to push. Heck she'd even lowered herself and flirted with AJ. That hadn't even earned her a flicker of an eye.

No, that wasn't entirely true, he did look at her several times like she was some three year old acting out. If the table weren't so wide, she'd kick him right in the shin. Stupid poo poo face.

To make matters worse she was slowing coming down. Hard.

"So Elizabeth." Clearing his throat, Edward tossed his napkin on the table. "How do you feel about Emily's intended working for the Mob?"

The tabled stilled for a split second before Monica and Alan exploded. Defending Johnny and reprehending Edward for his outburst.

"I think it's a reasonable question." Edward blustered. "She's the only young lady at this table who hasn't gotten herself tangled up with one of Jason's associates."

"Elizabeth feel free to ignore my father." Leaning forward, Alan grimaced. "He's old and set in his ways."

"Why don't you tell us how the school years been going?" Changing the subject to safer ground, Monica's smile was pinched. "Any boyfriends?"

No Mrs. Quartermaine, but I did divorce your youngest son over the summer.

"Actually I don't date much." Or at all since Spring Break, and it was all Jason's fault - Kill Joy.

Leaning back in his chair and swinging his arm over the back of hers, AJ leaned in and gave her an oily smile. "Oh come on, a beautiful girl like you?"

"I'm shy." She was rewarded by a snort from Jason's direction. "I'm sorry, I missed that?"

Busying himself by cleaning the food off Michael's face, Jason mumbled nothing.

"Well don't worry, this town is crawling with eligible bachelors." Clearly cheering up with the thought of match making, Monica leaned up to the table. "Infact Casper Jax stopped by earlier."

"Oh yes." Agreeing with his wife, Alan picked up his wine. "Charming man. Australian."

"He's a jerk." Jason's jaw squared, as he told in soft tones.

Just happy to have her son join into the conversation, Monica considered his words. "I know you and Jax haven't seen eye to eye in the past . . ."

"There's Lucky Spencer." Edward suggested. "His Father is good for nothing, but his Mother is an angel."

"No, tell me more about Jax." Sitting up a little taller, Elizabeth loved the way the stranger's name made Jason practically growl. "Is he good looking?"

Warming to the conversation herself Brenda nodded wide eyed. "Tall. Blonde. Tan. Rich. He's a real gentleman. And his accent is to die for."

"Elizabeth." Jason's voice was low, but the warning was there.

"And he's single?" Looking up the table and now ignoring the way Jason's eyes were narrowing.

"I haven't heard that he's been seeing anyone." Monica said. "Perhaps we'll invite him over for tea tomorrow."

Jason gripped the napkin in his lap until his knuckles turned white. He was going to kill her. He'd known she'd been testing him all night, and he'd taken it because he actually deserved it. But she was pushing him too far.

"That's a great -."

"We need to talk." Standing up from the table, Jason dropped his napkin down and looked at Elizabeth. Seeing Brenda open his mouth from the corner of his eye, he gave her a look that clearly said to stay out of it.

"Sure, in just a sec." Flashing him a hundred watt smile she hoped would blind him, Elizabeth turned back to Monica. "I was hoping to find someone to escort me to Emily's wedding."

But her words fell on deaf ears. Monica was staring at Jason with a look that looked befuddled.

"Perhaps you should ask your husband first." The words had the room at a standstill.

Her head whipping up so fast she almost got whiplash, Elizabeth couldn't think with the sound of blood pounding in her ears. A could sweat washed over her. Apparently she found a button. A red one.

"I don't -. But I signed -." The blood stopped pounding in her ears and stained her face red. Standing up like a rocket, she grabbed her water glass and almost threw it until she remembered the Michael. "Your not my husband anymore. Remember? You opted out. You can't renig."

"Will someone please explain?" Monica looked to her daughter, but Emily was in as much shock as everyone else.

"Are you to tell me the two of you are . . ." Edward looked back and forth from Elizabeth to Jason and laughed. "No, I don't believe it."

"I thought you were more into strippers and sluts?" AJ's upper lip curled as he glared across the table at his younger brother. "Or is there something we don't know about -."

"Want a broken jaw?" Jabbing a finger at AJ, he waited until his older brother looked away. Running a hand across the stubble on his chin, Jason almost laughed. He could've done this better. Hell, he could've done a lot of things better. And a public outburst wasn't how he'd planned on telling her.

But it was like Lila said. He'd found a girl who knocked him off his feet. Literally.

Now he had two weeks to find a way to knock the tigress growling back at him off hers.


	38. Chapter 38

"So how's the missus?" Chuckling at his own joke, Sonny Corinthos looked up from the files he'd been working on when Jason walked in. Taking in Jason's tired, washed out appearance he could tell life was a little rough for his long time friend. Well good. It was about damn time.

Pausing mid-stride, Jason frowned. "Brenda tell you?"

Leaning back, his eyes dancing Sonny tsked. "My wife gossip? No of course not." Waving his hand in the air, Sonny rolled his eyes. "Of course she told me. Why didn't you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Heading now to the wetbar, Jason growled deep in his chest.

Checking his watch and whistling low, Sonny shook his head. "Drinking before noon? Not a good sign buddy. Next thing you'll be going to meetings with AJ."

Knocking back some of Sonny's strongest imported Whiskey, Jason whipped his mouth with the back of his hand. "She drives me insane."

"Elizabeth hasn't even been in town for twenty-four hours and she already has you drinking."

"She all but spit in my face last night." Turning around to Sonny's laughter, Jason wondered why he ever thought he'd get some kind of sympathy here. He'd been up till four that morning warring with himself. Flip-flopping back and forth between fighting for Elizabeth or letting her just walk away.

"Was this before or after you used your impeccable verbal skills to tell Elizabeth the two of you are still married?"

Then there had been that. He'd humiliated her. Left her standing there blinking. Until a tear rolled from her eye and she dashed from the room. Thank God Max had been outside waiting to take the girls to Emily's after dinner.

"I should've left."

"You should've, but who could say no to a dinner at the Quartermaines?"

And hadn't that been a real treat. Monica and Alan hounding him with questions he sure as hell didn't want to answer, while Edward nearly yelled himself into a stroke.

"She was purposely pushing my buttons -." It was a lame excuse, and seeing he couldn't find a way to un-wedge his ass from his backside, it was all he had left to defend himself.

"No shit you say." Getting up from the table to refill his own drink Sonny wondered when Jason took the bullet to the head. "You took off while she was all but in a coma. Sent her divorce papers without warning, messed with her bills. I'm surprised she didn't remove your ballsack with a rusty saw."

"I love her Sonny."

"Jason you really are a Jackass aren't you?" Looking at his friend like it was the first time he'd ever seen him, Sonny snorted. "There's another thing I have to admit my wife was right about."

"I'm being serious. I want her back."

"So embarrassing her in front of the Quartermaine's was the way you decided to go?" Cocking his head to the side, Sonny made a face. "I can't say that's quiet the way I'd try and win a girl's heart."

"Fuck you." Glaring at his jerk of a friend, Jason turned his back and headed to the door.

"What do you want me to say Jason?" Waiting until Jason stopped, Sonny went on. "I don't know where the hell you're coming from anymore. You're all over the place. Married a girl you didn't even know in Vegas while on a drinking spree. Decided to throw caution to the wind and make a go of it. Then take off the first time you're put to the test."

"I thought she would've been better off without me."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? You know, I never got that." His arms went wide as the liquid in his glass went sloshing over the side. "You think Michael's any safer than Elizabeth would've been? It didn't stop you from fighting tooth and nail with Bobby, then the Quartermaines over custody. What happened to Elizabeth had nothing to do with the business."

"I know." God he knew.

Clearly deflated, Sonny took a seat on the couch. "Jase, why didn't you just file the papers?"

"I was going to, but I kept finding reasons to put it off. Michael got an ear infection. Moving back to the penthouse. Then I just couldn't do it. I bought tickets, I was going to fly out to Colorado to see her."

"To win her back?"

"Something like that."

"And this is what you want? Elizabeth back? You better be certain, because if you break that girl's heart again, I ain't letting you back inside my home. I have my own marriage to protect."

"Emily are you sure about this?" Standing in snow up to her knees, Elizabeth looked around the Quartermaine estate with mixed emotion.

"All my life I wanted an outdoor wedding." Laughing at Elizabeth's hesitation, she linked her arm through her friends and pulled her over to the edge of the pond. "You're just not using your artistic eye."

"Cause my artistic butt is frozen."

Clearly not put out, Emily smiled. "Just picture it. White lights sparkling in the trees. Luminaries along the paths. The chairs will be facing the two evergreens over there." Emily pointed in the direction of two medium sized Christmas trees. "A large arch between them where Johnny and the boys will be waiting. You want to talk about it now?"

"Nope."

"So a sleigh is going to bring you, Brenda and I to the end of the aisle."

Trying to envision Emily's picture perfect wedding, Elizabeth couldn't get past the fact she wanted all this to happen after sunset. It just sounded awfully cold to her. She hoped Jason froze his balls off.

"Food will be served inside, and we're going to turn the pond into an old-fashioned ice rink with fires set up along the edge in containers where we'll have chestnuts roasting."

Looking over her shoulder at the ice, Elizabeth raised a concerned brow. "Is it safe?"

"Of course silly." To make her point, Emily walked out onto the frozen pond. "I used to skate here all the time when I was a kid. You want to talk about it now?"

"Nope." Taking a tentative step out on the ice, Elizabeth heard a sharp crack and her body went ridged. "Oh god the ice is breaking isn't it?"

"No silly." Slapping a gloved hand over her mouth, Emily laughed. "It does that. Just because you have an enormous butt doesn't mean were gonna sink."

"Bite me." Shuffling her feet until she reached the bank again, Elizabeth didn't let out the breath she was holding until she was back on solid ground.

"You can skate can't you?"

"Of course. But back home we have these nifty places inside that grow ice. And amazingly, there's not several feet of bone chilling water underneath it."

"You're a wimp."

"Whatever. Me and my elephant butt feels more comfortable over here." Rubbing her hands together, Elizabeth ignored the chill that was seeping into her bones. "Don't we have a dress fitting to get to? I can't wait to see the monstrosity your gonna make me wear."

Sliding across the ice, Emily almost pitched over when she hit the edge. "I'm not the one with lime green heels that make me want to hurl."

"I still can't find those."

"I know, I'm doing you a favor." Kicking at a clump of snow, Emily let out a loud exasperated growl. "I can't take it anymore. I gave you time this morning to get over your mile high headache. I've given you room today, waiting."

"Nagging." Elizabeth frowned.

"Yea, well you knew what a pampered, spoiled bitch I can be." Emily shrugged her shoulders with out apology. "The only thing I can think is you have no idea how to start. So let me help you. What're you getting your husband for Christmas?"

"That Bastard." Unable to stop her upper lip from curling up, Elizabeth tried to regain some of her composer. The last thing she wanted was to come apart at the seems. Because if just one thread started to come unraveled she was going to fall apart.

"A lump of coal then?"

"Try a pile of -."

"I've never seen him just lose it like that in front of the family - well besides from when he'd just gotten out of the hospital."

Elizabeth didn't want to hear it. Didn't want to think about it. If she could put her hands over her ears and hum till it all just went away she would. But it wouldn't take away the sick feeling in her stomach, or worse, that tiny ray of hope that sliced through her.

But her raging anger had taken care of that. Damn Bastard. How the hell was she supposed to know there was more to the divorce process than just signing the stupid papers? It's not like she made a hobby of it.

"So what're you going to do now?" Emily's words were hesitant, spoken in a soft voice.

"You said once your brother had a sick love for his bike right?"

"Yea."

"I think I'm going to win custody of the damn thing and sell it for parts."

"Elizabeth!"

"I don't know what I'm going to do." The girls trudged their way through the snow back to where Emily had parked her Durango, a gift from Johnny. It was a pretty little package, and Elizabeth wasn't too surprised to here bullet proof windows and a tracker had been installed before the key had been handed over to her friend.

"So you haven't made any concrete decisions?" Emily stopped.

Stopping also, Elizabeth opened her mouth, only to snap her jaw shut with enough force to loosen two of her molars. It took her a few failed tries but coherent thought came back to her.

"You still don't believe it'll work between Jason and I do you?"

"Well, you must." Putting her nose in the air, Emily brushed past her. "Or you wouldn't be so confused."


	39. Chapter 39

As sneak attacks went, Emily's was down right evil.

Preparing herself for the frontal assault in the shape of her five foot eleven estranged husband. Elizabeth was ready for her next encounter with Jason, well as prepared as she possibly be in her current state of mind.

But when Emily had received a phone call Christmas Eve that had her rushing out of the house with the promise to return 'in a jiffy', Elizabeth should've smelled the makings of an Em sized plan. Instead, with both Johnny and Emily out of the house, Elizabeth took advantage of the time to wrap the presents she'd bought the day before.

Keeping an ear open for Emily's return, Elizabeth stopped in the middle of creating a perfect bow when the sound of a child's laughter stopped her. Finishing quickly and throwing the comforter of her unmade bed over the loot, Elizabeth heard Emily's laughter mixing with the childs.

"Emily?" Walking down the stairs of the Hansel and Gretel cottage Johnny bought Emily a few months back, Elizabeth stopped on the forth stair from the bottom and stared.

There in the middle of the living room floor Emily had a small red-head pinned to the ground as she blew bubbles on his stomach. Feeling as though she were intruding on a special moment, she tried to back track.

"Elizabeth, I'd like to introduce you to someone." Emily's voice had her stopping and retracing her steps back down the stairs. "This is Michael. You met the first night you were here, but . . ."

"I was high as a kite?" Smiling down at the little boy who was studying her back just as intently. "Hello Michael, my name's Elizabeth."

The year old's brow creased for a moment before he smiled. His large blue eyes sparkled as he patted his bare stomach. "Mur!"

Lifting a brow and tickling her nephew Emily laughed along with him. "Jason gave his nanny the week off for Christmas and had a last minute meeting."

Sitting down on the floor a few feet away, Elizabeth watched as Michael flipped over and got to his feet. He definitely was a cute little thing with the rosiest, roundest cheeks she'd ever seen.

"I thought you had a lunch date with Johnny's mother today?"

"I do." Her smile a mile wide, Emily sprang from the floor. "In about twenty minutes. Michael hasn't had lunch yet, he usually likes Mac and Cheeses."

Her eyes swung from where Michael was tossing Johnny's Sport Illustrated magazines on the floor, to Emily who was currently making a quick retreat. "Whoa! I - Where? - Emily Quartermaine don't you dare take another step."

"He takes a nap around one." Completely ignoring her now, Elizabeth kept one unsure and panicked eye on the toddler, and another blind sided and panicked eye on his scheming aunt. "There's diapers in the blue bag on the table near the door, as well as a change of clothes. His favorite blanket and animal are over on the couch, and Jason should be by around three to get pick him up."

"No. You can't do this." Looking over her shoulder at Michael Elizabeth found her mouth dry up and her throat tighten. This was low. "I'm sure Jason doesn't want me alone with his son."

Wrapping a scarf around her throat Emily paused. "Technically he is your Stepson -."

"Not funny."

"Not meant to be." Pulling on her gloves, Emily's smirk softened. "You're not scared of a one year old, are you?"

Completely thrown off guard, Elizabeth rocked back on her heels. "No, of course not. It's the confrontation with his father I'm trying to avoid."

"Yeah I know." Blowing a piece of hair from her face, Emily stopped in front of the door. "Listen, I may be going about this the entirely wrong way, but it's not in my nature not to interfere. Your confused, Jason's confused. Heck I don't know who isn't confused over the two of you right now. But there's another piece of the puzzle you need to be aware of and I just thought the two of you might get to know one another."

Opening the door, Emily watched Elizabeth gulp like a guppy. "Mac and Cheese for lunch. Nap at one. Have fun you two." Quickly stepping out onto the covered porch and shutting the door quickly behind her, Emily rolled her eyes up to the heavens. "Godspeed."

"He likes Mac and Cheese my aass - behind." Talking in an absolutely ridiculous high pitched voice, Elizabeth watched as Michael shoved another handful of noodles into his mouth, only to spit them out again.

From the moment Emily has dashed out the door, nothing seemed to have gone right. It started with the thirty minute crying gag Michael broke into, making her feel completely helpless. After he sniffed his last tear away he went on a wild rampage through Emily's living room, grabbing anything and everything he could get his hands on and seemed to be having a grand time doing it, which was maybe the reason Elizabeth hadn't been too determined to make him stop.

That'd been followed by the 'incident' that still had her stomach in a knot. On his unsteady feet, Michael had tripped and bumped his head. Needless to say, the little guy wasn't the only who ended up with tears in their eyes.

She could do this. She was great with kids. Kids loved her damn it! So why did she feel like she was made of all thumbs? And why was she asking herself such stupid questions and avoiding the real issue. She didn't have to be a member of Mensa to figure it out. She was trying to make a good impression with an one year old who couldn't even hold a spoon right yet. The more she tried to be perfect, the more high strung she got. Making the entire experience uncomfortable on the both of them.

Though it was hard to shake off the uneasy feeling, that what she was going through at that moment with Michael, could've been a daily thing if things had turned out differently. She'd be the one who knew when his nap was. Or what blanket he favored or animal he liked. And she sure as hell would know what his favorite food was, because no matter what Emily thought, it wasn't Mac and Cheese.

Biting on her lip and watching Michael play with his food, Elizabeth let out a defeated sigh.

"Hey Mikey?" Taking the bowl away from the little imp, Elizabeth looked down into clear blue eyes. "You don't mind if I call you Mikey do you?" Apparently not, because she earned herself a happy grin. "To tell you the truth, I can't stand this stuff either."

Tossing the plastic bowl in the sink, she walked over to the refrigerator to start rummaging. "Personally I'm more the spaghetti O's with meatballs type." Pulling out a container of cottage cheese and a peach she'd picked up from the store a few days before she prayed he wasn't lactose intolerant. "But I don't think we'll explore the mess you can make with Chief Boyardee."

Slicing up the fruit into manageable pieces and scooped the cottage cheese into a clean bowl. "But I also love mixing these two together. Not only does it taste great, it makes your Aunt gag."

Clearly impressed, Michael watched wide eyed as Elizabeth sat down on a kitchen chair. Opening his mouth wide before she even got the food on the spoon. Holding her breath and hoping not to get sprayed with the mouthful of cottage cheese and peaches she just fed him, Elizabeth sighed with relief when he opened up for more.

"See, what did I tell you?" Feeding him more, Elizabeth allowed herself to relax. "Just a little secret between you and me, your Aunt has no taste when it comes to food."

"Mour." A chubby finger pointed to the bowl, not really caring about his aunts bad habits.

"So tell me Mikey, what do you think I should do with my life?" Spooning another portion into his waiting mouth, Elizabeth waited until he was finished to feed him more. "Because between you and me? I'm at a complete loss."

Handing him his sippy cup of juice she smiled as he chugged away.

"I wish someone would just point me in the right direction. Heck I could handle a big whopping push right now." Michael's mouth opened again and Elizabeth complied. "It's just your Daddy makes me so mad."

"Da-Da?"

"Yea, him." Looking around the room, Elizabeth felt foolish as she leaned in. "You want to know something Mikey? I miss him." Feeling a little better for saying it out loud, Elizabeth scraped the last of the food onto a spoon, but Michael was ready to be released from the constraints of the high chair. Making cleaning him up a chore in itself as he twist and turned, making grunting noises as he tried to escape.

Using a damp wash cloth on smooshed up, dried noodles that stubbornly stuck to Michael's red hair was more of a challenge then she was prepared for. After only a slight hesitation, Elizabeth scooped up the rambunctious boy out of his chair and hauled him off to the nearest bathtub.

After a disastrous splashing war, which she clearly lost by the look of her drenched clothing, Elizabeth managed to remove as much food as Michael would allow and let him play a little longer with his bath pals until his eyes began to droop. Pulling him from the warm bath and into a soft terrycloth towel, Elizabeth hummed as she took Michael down the hall to the guest room that was hers while she was visiting.

Laying him gently onto the bed, she tried to remember the words to the song that was now stuck inside her head as she dried him off and rubbed lotion on his chubby little arms and legs. His eyes fluttered shut and his thumb found it's way to his mouth.

"You want to know another little secret?" Fastening the diaper shut and pulling on a clean pair of pants, Elizabeth cleared off the present that were hiding under the sheets and rearranged Michael before lying down for a moment beside him. "I think I could get used to this."

The living room looked as though a war had been fought there.

Michael's toys were strewn over the carpet, as well as a wide assortment of books and magazines. Apparently Michael had played his favorite new game, Clean off the tables. Closing the door quietly behind him, Jason unzipped his jacket and crossed the room to the kitchen. The signs of lunch littered the counters.

"Emily?" Turning back to the livingroom, Jason frowned. "Elizabeth?"

Heading back through the living room, Jason head a creak from overhead. His feet hit the stairs, taking them two at a time. Walking down the hallway he stopped in front of the bathroom door and let out a chuckle. If the living room was a mess, the bathroom was a natural disaster created by hurricane Michael.

Heading to the guest room where Michael usually slept, Jason felt his heart lodge itself in his throat, making it impossible to breath.

There lying cuddled in the middle of the bed, her arm protectively over his son, was Elizabeth. Neither moved as he inched his way into the room and lowered himself gently on the foot of the bed. Their silent breathing filled the room, as he watched.

God he wanted, to crawl under the covers next to her and wrap himself around the both of them. To just lay there holding them. Breathing in their scents while running his fingers through her silky brown curls. But if he did something so stupid it would probably only earn him a few well deserved claw marks.

Instead he'd have to resign himself to watching his son and Elizabeth sleep, as he contiplated on how he was going to fix the mess he created.


	40. Chapter 40

Waking up slowly, Elizabeth let out a lazy sigh as she stretched her legs and curled up again. There wasn't anything like an afternoon nap, and she couldn't remember the last time she'd allowed herself the luxury of one. Her hand traveled over the bed . . . to find it empty.

Wide awake now, her blood frozen in her veins, Elizabeth frantically searched the bed, then bedroom for Michael. "Oh God, I lost him."

"Michael?" Swinging her feet over the edge of the bed, Elizabeth pushed her bed hair from her face with shaking hands as she checked under the bed. "Right, he's going to be under the bed."

Hurrying to the hallway, Elizabeth was almost to the stairs before she came to a halt in front of the bathroom door. Clean. Bath mats were in place, and Emily's decorative towels were hanging neatly as they had been before twenty hands Mikey yanked them down. The disorder from Michael's earlier bath had magically disappeared, looking as though it'd never been turned into a waterpark.

"Emily." With a sigh of relief, Elizabeth chuckled at her manic behavior, and headed downstairs to offer a hand cleaning up the warzone. Perhaps, if Emily didn't push too much, she'd consider telling her conniving and nosy pal that as far as sneak attacks went, this one was one of her favorites.

Pushing up the sleeves of her burgundy sweater, she stopped wide mouthed as she took in the cleaned living room. Emily sure had been busy. All the magazines were stacked in neat piles, pillows had been replaced to their proper places, and Michael's hoard of toys were packed up.

The sound of running water and Michael's little voice came from behind the kitchen door. Feeling guilty Emily had been stuck cleaning a mess she hadn't made, Elizabeth hoped there was something left for her to clean.

"You didn't have to clean, I was going to -." Coming to a dead stop, Elizabeth found herself staring at the back view that deficiently didn't belong to Emily. Standing at the sink, a hand towel tossed carelessly over his shoulder, Jason rinsed a dish before placing it into the dishwasher at his right. "Jason . . . I didn't. You really didn't have to . . . what are you doing here?"

Shutting off the water and using the towel over his shoulder to dry his hands, Jason took his time answering her. Instead he gave himself a moment to stare at the charming effects of her afternoon nap. Her cheeks flushed and rosy, her eyes still heavy from sleep were regarding him with caution, and her hair was a riot of messy curls. Her feet were still bare as she shifted back and forth in front of him. She looked absolutely perfect, making him ache even more to make things right.

"Came to pick up Michael and thought I'd clean up while you slept." Looking down where Michael was keeping himself busy smashing two trucks together, Elizabeth smiled at him when he looked up.

"You didn't have to." Wasn't she the big girl having a stimulating and intellectual conversation? Elizabeth thought darkly. Perhaps she could start banging her head and drooling at the mouth for a follow up act. "I didn't mean to fall asleep."

His mouth curled up at the corner before he turned back and finished the dishes. "When was the last time you ate?"

The question wasn't too terribly hard to answer, except now that she thought about it . . . "I had breakfast."

"Get your coat and I'll get Michael ready. I'll take you to Kelly's."

"What?" This wasn't the conversation she'd been anticipating. She wasn't behaving how she'd pictured either. And she was starting to hate how lost she felt.

"You said you haven't eaten since this morning." Frowning at her, Jason crouched down, balancing on the balls of his feet. Picking up the trucks Michael had been playing with, he rose with little effort. "I thought you might be hungry."

"Are you asking me if I want to come or -." Fireworks were beginning to ignite.

Seeing where this was heading, Jason gave himself a mental kick. Holding up his hand when Elizabeth's pouty little mouth opened, he explained. "I'm offering. Michael and I are heading to Kelly's. If your hungry and want to, we'd like it if you'd come along."

Elizabeth didn't know what to make of the seemingly innocent invitation. Where was Jason Morgan going with this? Why wasn't he just hitting the topic that was stewing beneath the surface. He looked innocent enough in the invitation, and really what else could possibly go wrong?

"Fine."

A smile spread across his face. "I hope you don't have an aversion against hamburgers and milkshakes."

Picturing the run down dump he'd taken her to in Nevada, Elizabeth couldn't help but smile. "No, none. I'll get my jacket."

"Well if it isn't Jason Morgan." Barely inside the doors, Elizabeth looked up and found herself looking up into laughing blue eye. His overly polished appearance had international playboy flashing over his head like a neon sign. But his accent gave him away.

Feeling Jason tense at her side, Elizabeth looked up into his face and was surprised to see it void of any particular emotion. "Jax."

"Are you going to introduce me to the pretty young woman by your side?" With a charming smile aimed in her direction, Elizabeth couldn't stop the blush that crept upon her cheeks.

"No."

Chuckling at Jason's one word response, the blonde Aussie put out his hand and gave Elizabeth a scandalous wink. "Actually I heard all about you when I stopped by the Quartermaine's earlier today. It's nice you meet you Miss Webber, or should I say Morgan?"

Feeling as though she'd been pulled into some game she didn't know the rules to, Elizabeth took the man's offered hand and had a sudden disliking toward him. "Elizabeth is fine."

"You're a lucky bastard Morgan." Brenda had been right, his accent was to die for, too bad he was full of shit. "Hope you do a better job keeping this one safe. I'd hate to see what happened to Carly happen to her."

The blood in her veins froze, trying to take a step away from the man in front of her, Elizabeth bumped into Jason and felt his hand rest on her hip to keep her in place. "I suggest you leave." His voice was soft, but the dangerousness undertone didn't go unnoticed.

"Merry Christmas." Jax saluted as he sauntered out of the dinner and into the cold night air.

"Sorry about that." Leading them over to a table, his hand now on the small of her back Elizabeth tried to block out the memories Carly's name brought to her. The feeling of helplessness and death crept out of the corner of her mind.

"Why should you be sorry?" Unzipping her jacket with trembling fingers, she took her time draping her leather jacket over the back of her chair while ignoring the eyes that studied her.

"Elizabeth." His eyes continued to stare, baring down on her, making her remember things, feel things she had successfully locked away.

"Don't want to talk about it." Picking up a menu, she couldn't make out the words. "How are the hamburgers?"

"Greasy." Settling Michael in, Jason watched Elizabeth over the top of the menu she was trying hard to hide behind. Damn Jax. If it would've solved anything and wouldn't have landed his ass in the PCD on Christmas Eve, he would've wrapped his fingers around that Australian's neck till it popped.

"Elizabeth you can't do this to yourself." Taking the menu from her, he wished there was something he could do to wipe away the shadows from her face.

"What about the chili?"

"Greasy." Reaching across the table and covering her ice cold hands with his, he waited until she looked up. "I want to help."

He wanted to help. God those words hurt like hell. Mocking her worse than anything else he could've said.

"You can't." Pulling her hands away, the room closed in around her. He wasn't going to do this, not here in the middle of a dinner. Waking up in the middle of the night with cold sweats from reliving her worse nightmare was bad enough.

"What does Michael like to eat?" Looking over her shoulder for the waitress, Elizabeth grumbled under her breath about the horrible service.

"The number six. And why not?"

"Because Jason." Hot under the collar and her stomach queasy, Elizabeth glared daggers in his direction. "The only way I know how to handle this is on my own. Because you weren't there." There she'd said it, and amazingly it didn't make her feel better. "So excuse me if I don't want to talk about one of the worst experiences of my life."

"If I could take away what Carly did -."

"I wasn't talking about Carly." Snapping at him not caring who heard, Elizabeth balled her fists in her lap. "I was talking about what you did to me. Carly was sick. But you left Jason. When I needed you most you weren't there. I woke up to find you gone. I went home alone." Damn she hated the way her throat would tighten up like this. Making it hard to breath. "I couldn't sleep at night for the first week, then only if the lights were on. I was almost ready to use a night light when the divorce papers came, and again I had to deal with it alone, because you couldn't find the time to call and talk to me. Explain what happened to change your mind, help me understand. But the joke was on me."

Sucking air in and wincing back the tears, Elizabeth waited, wanting to hear Jason try and defend himself. But he remained quiet, his face blank.

"From the moment this all started I just followed along and I'm sick of it."

"Elizabeth, please. I messed up and neither of us can change that. But it doesn't feel right walking away from this. If you want me to wait until your ready, I won't want to do it, but I will." His mask cracked and Elizabeth chocked back a sob.

"I don't know what I want. I know seeing you hurts. I know what we had in Las Vegas was more real than anything I've ever experienced. But your right, we can't change what happened and honestly I don't know if I'll ever forgive you for it." Getting up from the table and struggling with her jacket, Elizabeth shook her head when Jason started to stand.

"I can catch a cab. I need some time to think." Hurrying to the door, and out into the night, Elizabeth couldn't help but feel she'd left a piece of herself behind.


	41. Chapter 41

Sitting and watching from the second floor window as the Quartermaine's snow covered lawns turned into a magical wonderland, Elizabeth rested her head against the cold pane of glass and enjoyed a moment of silence. It wasn't just the grounds that were in a wild state of unrest, but inside there was a mad dash to get everything done before the first of the guests arrived.

It was amazing how fast time flew by when she was in the middle of a crisis. Between the wedding, Christmas, trying to dodge Jason and brush off Emily and Brenda and their well meaning attempts to help, Elizabeth hadn't had a moment to think. And now on the day of Emily's wedding, in eye of the storm she finally found time to just be by herself and think. Even if it meant sneaking off and hiding in an unused room.

Now all she needed was Dear Abby to give her some third party advice, and a fortune teller to confirm if it were right.

Anyone else might wonder why a week long marriage would be allotted this amount of contemplation. But unless they'd felt the connection, the feeling of being home, they'd never understand.

It was those feelings that made Jason's abandonment in Las Vegas a hard pill to swallow. The divorce papers and tampering with her bills were annoyances, petty little things she allowed to fill the void in her life, but the real issue was the way he'd left her. She'd been afraid of her own shadow. Afraid of the falling asleep and hearing gunfire bounce off the inside of her head. Mostly she'd been afraid of the chasm inside, not knowing if she'd ever feel whole again.

If she felt like that when she barely knew Jason, what would she feel like after several years? But she had to make some sort of decision. What was that horribly crude saying her Grandfather used to say?

"Shit or get off the pot." Talking out loud, Elizabeth smiled. If there was ever a situation that fit the saying it was this one.

"I really don't like the way they redecorated this room." A woman replied from near the door, causing Elizabeth to twist from her position and gape.

Lila Quartermaine, the most elegant and well spoken woman Elizabeth had ever met, was sitting like a queen in her wheelchair just feet away.

"I . . ." Oh god, how loud had she said that? When would she ever learn to keep her big mouth shut.

"Hiding out too?" A smile graced the older woman's lips, her voice sounding mutinous. "I love my Granddaughter, but her pre-wedding insanity has a way of making those who love her run for cover."

"I was just catching my breath. I really should go help." Still feeling mortified, Elizabeth was ready to stand and make her escape. Instead she was stopped.

"Actually I was wanting a word with you."

Of course she did. All of Jason's well meaning relatives had a few words to share with her. Actually Edward had more than the rest, and her ears were still ringing. But the message was basically the same. Jason led a dangerous life, one that wasn't suitable for someone like herself. Or she was young and had her whole life in front of her. Edward though had been a little more thorough and creative in his execution, telling her that under no circumstance should get back together with his 'degenerate' of a Grandson.

"About Jason?"

"I take it you've already had a few words with a few of the other family members in the last few days?" Pushing a button that had her chair wheel further into the room, Lila stopped the window next to her. "He's a hard headed, stubborn fool like his Grandfather."

Apparently love wasn't blind when it came to this woman.

"But he also amazes me. Jason Morgan has accomplished in his five years of existence, what most men couldn't dream of doing in forty." The words were spoke slowly, and at first didn't register, but as she waited for Lila to continue, Elizabeth knew she was going to learn a piece about Jason's life no one had yet to share. "I can still remember the day he came home. Angry, scared, lost. No one knew what to do with him. Oh, the family all had their theories and fought over them endlessly. But when it came down to it, Jason was a stranger living in a world he just didn't fit in."

Remembering the bits and pieces Emily had shared with her about the tragic accident her brother's had been in, Elizabeth felt a shudder run through her body thinking of the extensive injuries he'd suffered. Emily had said it'd been a miracle he hadn't died.

"He's grown a lot since then. But he's still learning Elizabeth."

"You make him sound like a three year old."

Lila smiled at this. "Do you remember the first boy you ever had a crush on?"

Smiling now too, Elizabeth thought back. "David Owens, fifth grade."

"Do you remember how you felt around this young boy?"

"Like a giggling fool. I didn't know how to act around him, or what to say. I made a complete mess of everything."

"Think of feeling those things in a twenty-two year old male body. When it comes to relationships with females, he's still learning and will undoubtably make several mistakes. And to be fair, your only the third relationship he's ever had."

"So I should -."

"I can't give you advice on something big." Shaking her head, Lila patted her hand. "And I'm sure there's several things I'm unaware of, which at my age I prefer."

"Elizabeth?" Emily's voice came somewhere down the hall, signaling the end of the conversation.

"I don't know if I was able to help any."

Elizabeth leaned over and kissed Lila on the cheek. "You've shed a light on a few things. Emily's lucky to have you around to talk to. But I'm sure she already knows that."

"Elizabeth, Grandmother?" Pushing the door open, Emily looked at the two of them, her face confused. "Why are you two in Jason's old room?"

Figures. Laughing to herself at the irony of it all, Elizabeth shrugged her shoulder's.

"The hairdresser isn't here yet, I can't find Brenda. I heard Jason's missing his tie, and the caterer threatened to walk if I didn't stay out of the kitchen." Emily looked ready to combust, and Elizabeth felt horrible for neglecting her.

"Oh, Elizabeth?" Stopping halfway across the room, Elizabeth turned around. " Don't forget what they say."

Pausing, Lila smiled brightly. "Third time's a charm."

After two melt downs and one frantic hairdo redo, the wedding went just as planned. Emily's winter wonderland wedding was something out of a fairytale. The trees lining the lawn were lit by thousands of lights. And the luminaries that lined the shoveled pathways were beautiful.

Even the Bride's Maid dress Elizabeth had reservations about fit the mood. Royal blue with empire waists, covered by an old fashioned cape lined with faux fur that clasped at the neck with detailed silver brooches. She felt like a character from a Dickinson novel. Even the men looked handsome in their black tuxes and overcoats. But it'd been Jason who'd stood out among them. Much to Elizabeth's dismay.

Emily had asked her to witness one of the most important events in her life, and all she could do was gawk at her older brother. Several times she'd give herself a mental shake, lecturing herself on her silly behavior, to pay attention to the ceremony. It wasn't like she'd never seen him before. Maybe it was the lights or the romantic mood that hung in the air. Or it could've been what Lila had said to her earlier. None of it mattered, because in the end she only found herself staring at him again. It wasn't until her eyes had strayed again and found him staring back. The air had been sucked from her lungs when he gave her a lazy smile she'd never seen before, but knew it did funny things to her.

It was the reason she'd made herself scarce when the ceremony ended and reception began, which was how Emily and Brenda had been able to corner her so easily and drag her out onto the ice against her many protests.

"I can't believe Johnny and I are finally married." Laughing up into the night sky and turning around in circleds, Emily nearly lost her footing.

Reaching out to steady the dizzy bride, Brenda snorted. "I can't believe your spending your time out here on the ice with us instead of taking advantage of your husband."

"Because. I wanted a chance to skate with my friends before Johnny whisks me off on our Honeymoon." Looping a hand through Elizabeth and Brenda's arms, Emily practically pulled them along.

"Did you pack the nighty I gave you?" Brenda's mouth curved into an evil grin.

"That was a nighty?" Emily questioned innocently. "I thought it was a sling."

"Ha ha." Letting go and skating out in front, Brenda stopped and turned. "Oh look. We can't even skate without our fearless men keeping an eye on us."

Looking over her shoulder, Elizabeth spotted Jason talking to Sonny and Johnny on the bank of the pond. It wasn't until his eyes met hers that she whipped her head around and lost her balance, almost bringing Emily down with her.

"Can I be anymore pathetic?" Getting to her knees and taking Emily's hand, Elizabeth's face burned with humiliation.

"Well if it's any consolation Jason looks concerned."

"Fantastic." Grumbling under her breath, Elizabeth allowed the two girls to pull her along. "I must've looked real graceful."

"No, not really -." The joke froze on Brenda's lips when a loud cracking noise echoed through the night.

Closing her eyes tightly, Elizabeth felt Emily's body standing ridged next to her. "Em, this is like last time right. There's nothing to worry about?" When Emily didn't answer, Elizabeth's eyes popped open to stare down at the ice. A large jagged line was only a few feet away. "Oh god."

Instinct had her pulling from Emily's grasp and trying to retreat. Apparently Brenda had the same idea, and their movement only earned them was another loud ripping noise making the crack in the ice grow like an angry snake.

"Don't move." Emily's voice was barely over a whisper, but loud enough to make the other two girls stay still. "Slowly." Looking up, she licked her lips. "And one at a time."


	42. Chapter 42

Hypothermia Noun The condition in which the temperature of the human body falls abnormally low, generally below 95 °F (35 °C). The normal human body temperature is 98.6 °F (37 °C). Hypothermia usually results from prolonged exposure to cold.

Signals of hypothermia include shivering, numbness, loss of vision, drowsiness, dizziness, or confusion. If body temperature falls below 90 °F (32 °C), the victim may lose consciousness. In deep hypothermia—below about 80 °F (27 °C)—abnormal heart action may cause blood flow to slow or stop, leading to death.

Leading to death. That was the clincher, the side effect to almost freezing.

The part the doctors were having difficulty saying out loud, as they regurgitated medical facts and treatments. Who cared, none of it made sense to a person without a medical degree, only causing a person to become more confused and lost than they already were. Instead the unsaid word inched and crept its way through the halls and waiting room of General Hospital, praying on the inhabitants.

No one dared to speak except in hush tones. The soft voices and hushed tones was enough to make any sane person want to jump up on table and scream. It was exchange two people could make with just their eyes that meant said things they could voice out loud.

Then there was the never ending game of head bobbing. Waiting for any sign of a white jacket or scrubs, heads automatically rising when one entered the vicinity. All in the hopes they'd be spared a few words or update. After several hours it became tedious and it wasn't surprising when someone would burst out with a sudden bout of anger.

So far no one had been allowed in the small room down the hall, making the situation that much more grave. That more real.

"You should get some sleep." Hearing the concern in Sonny's voice, Elizabeth didn't have the energy to look up. Instead she swung her head side to side. "Elizabeth he's strong."

And young and this was nothing compared to what he'd faced in his past. It was the same words of comfort everyone was smothering her with. Oddly none of it eased the pain or the guilt she was consumed with.

Seeing his words weren't penetrating, Sonny sighed and wrapped an arm around her slender shoulders. She looked so delicate in an oversized pair of hospital issue blue scrubs."Keeping him from going out on the ice was an impossibility. You were in danger and that is something Jason will never tolerate."

He'd come out on the ice because of her. God it hurt thinking it, but hearing it said out loud made her physically ill.

"I couldn't move."

She'd heard him yelling to her to move it. Threatened to wring her neck if she didn't start inching off the ice once Brenda and Emily had gotten to safety. But she'd just stood there staring at the break in the ice. Her limbs reluctant to make the move to where everyone was breathlessly waiting.

"This is my fault. Jason wouldn't be here, he wouldn't be . . . "

Oh God , why was this happening? When she'd heard him call out he was coming to get her, she should've told him no. Told him to stay where he was, where he was safe. Instead she'd felt comforted, knowing he was coming. Damn her, she'd been fucking relieved.

The ice was breaking and she'd just stood there, knowing his weight could endanger them both. She'd heard the ice protest the closer he got. She all but cried when his hand rested on her shoulder, letting her know he was behind her.

"I never want to hear you say that again." This time Sonny's tone was no longer soft and comforting. "You didn't do anything."

She'd been ready to turn around, to look into his face and find the courage to get off the ice. But before she could tear her eyes from the growing crack she found herself being yanked backwards. The brooch on her cloak cut into her throat for a brief moment before she found herself on her backside and sliding. Her eyes on Jason the entire time. Well at least until the ice beneath him gave way and he disappeared.

But not before their eyes connected. For that one brief moment. When their eyes met, she knew without a doubt he was the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. And could see in his he also knew. Then he was gone.

Massive mayhem broke out as she found herself crawling on the ice to the hole that swallowed Jason whole. She could hearing someone screaming Jason's name while several people yelled at her. But nothing was going to stop her from getting to her destination. Except someone accurately named Lucky, who'd braved the breaking ice to pull her back while his father went to where Jason had been last seen.

Everyone was moving in slow motion. Frantically yelling instructions. The ice still protesting, trying to claim another victim. There was no sign of Jason. He was still in the water.

"Elizabeth." Sonny leaned in. "I know his is cliched, but you need to be strong and to do that you need to eat and sleep."

"No." Finding her voice and looking up around the crowed waiting room, Elizabeth's eyes rested on Emily and Johnny who were dozing in the corner. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Then let me get you something to eat."

"Sonny, thank you. I'm not hungry."

"Then something to drink. Can you do that?" This time not waiting for an answer, Sonny stood and headed down the hall to the vending machines.

This couldn't be happening. There had to be some mistake. Jason wasn't lying in a bed somewhere a few halls away. His body temperature dangerously low, while the medical staff meticulously warmed him. Monica had explained everything to her after the doctor tried his best to describe Jason's medical condition. But her voice had been strained, giving away the fears she'd been trying to hide.

This was only after Elizabeth had been forced to change from her damp clothing into something dry. Her fingers were checked for frost bite, and her vitals checked. She'd protested, not wanting to waste the hospital's staff or their time and energy. Not when Jason needed it more.

"Here." Looking up at Sonny's return, Elizabeth decided to appease him. Taking the warm hot chocolate and letting it warm her hands, she felt the wait of Sonny's stare. "Drink."

Bringing the paper cup to her lips, Elizabeth sighed as the warm liquid filled her. It tasted better than the aftertaste of coffee, and after a few more sips she felt the muscles in her body relax.

"Where's Michael?" Her body ridged, and more guilt spilled into her bloodstream. Visions of a one year old, abandoned at the Quartermaine estate assaulted her. How could she have forgotten Michael?

A hand on her shoulder, Sonny forced her back in her chair. "It's all been handled. The Quartermaine's butler, Reginald, is keeping an eye on him. He's fine Elizabeth. Drink the rest of your hot chocolate."

Complying, because she was too tired to argue, Elizabeth soon found her eyelids too heavy to keep open. "Sonny I feel - funny."

"It's called exhaustion." Sonny's voice sounded a thousand miles away. "Just go to sleep."

"I can't, not until I know Jason's . . . till I know."

"He's not going anywhere."

Her mind slowly stopped turning the days events over and over again, tormenting her more each time, until it finally just stopped.

"Francis." Motioning at the man across the room, Sonny ignored the questioning looks he received from the rest of the rooms occupants.

"Yeah boss?"

"Find a room for Elizabeth." Putting a hand on the guards shoulder, Sonny leaned in. "I don't want anyone, especial if they're a Quartermaine, to bother her. Understand?"

"Yes sir." The look they shared said the same thing. Protect your own

"Just so you know, never drink anything Sonny gives you." Leaning over to brush his hair back from his forehead, Elizabeth watched as her fingers trembled slightly before contact. "The man's not to be trusted."

Though she'd been thoroughly put out with the nosy crime lord, she couldn't stay mad for long. Not when he'd only been looking out for her best interests, being there making sure she was taking care of herself when she wasn't up to the job. It was like having extended family who really cared. Though his tactics were downright sneaky.

"Michael's staying with Emily and Johnny. They refuse to leave on their honeymoon until you've woken up." Frowning, Elizabeth shook her head. "The doctors said you hit your head before you went into the water."

"I also dislike Dr. Jones. His bedside manner bites and he makes you sound like your less than human." Running her fingers through his dark blonde hair, Elizabeth tried to lock away the memory of how it felt.

"Come on Jason." Taking his hand in hers, Elizabeth stoked the back of it with the pad of her thumb. "You can't do this, not like this."

Sniffing as she lowered herself down in the chair behind her, Elizabeth choked back a sob. "Everything I was so angry about seems almost trivial now and I pray its not too late to tell you. Your home to me Jason. From the warmth your eyes give me, to the feeling of protection I feel when your at my side. I can't lose that and I don't care if I'm being stubbornly selfish. It's just another perk you'll have to learn to deal with."

Laying her head on the bed near his side, Elizabeth listened to the medical equipment surrounding them. Long past the danger of hypothermia, Jason was now unconscious, in deep state of sleep as Monica had told her. Apparently this made everything a-okay with her Mother-in-Law. There was no convincing her until Jason opened his eyes.

Then she could put this nightmare behind her. She and Jason would get passed the pain and - if he still wanted her - start their life together. She'd stayed in the penthouse the night before, only because Brenda begging turned to nagging, and thought the place was in desperate need of a woman's touch.

Or they could find a house somewhere near by. A place with a large yard for Michael to play. She'd plant flower gardens in the spring. Big colorful beds, that would fill the air with wonderful scents.

It didn't really matter where they lived, just as long as they were together.

That's how he found her. Her head resting on the bed at his side, a hand holding his protectively, while the other played with his hair. She looked like an Angel keeping vigil. It was one, hell of a way to wake up.

"Still mad?" His voice sounded raw and he waited as Elizabeth looked up slowly. Their eyes met and there was no need for words.


	43. Chapter 43

"You are the most stubborn, hard headed fool I know." Standing in the doorway of Jason's bedroom, Elizabeth resisted the urge to dump the bowl of steaming hot soup over the fool's head. "I was gone for twenty minutes, thirty tops. The second I turn my back . . . What part of bed rest did you not get?"

"I'm fine." Knowing if he were to smile at her mini tantrum it would only land him in hot water, Jason kept his back to her as he held onto the towel draped around his hips and grabbed a pair of jeans from the dresser. It would be wise to take the ignorant approach. Was it bad that he enjoyed her little show of anger? "I thought we'd take Michael to the park then get something to eat at Kelly's."

"I . . ." Blinking like a fool at the sight in front of her soup bowl in hand, Elizabeth cleared her throat and mentally reminded herself to stop goggling the goods. Jason was recovering from an accident. He'd almost died because of her and needed to recuperate.

Licking him dry from his shower was not an option.

They still had stuff to talk over. Things to straighten out. Something they'd been tiptoeing around. Not that she was jumping at the bit for that heart wrenching conversation. Having to talk about what had happened was like picking at a scab and watching it bleed. No, actually that would be a whole lot less painful. She'd rather have bamboo shoved under her fingernails than have to pick at those scabs.

Then there was the big question, how in the world did Jason get his abs to look so mouth watering good? Was it exercise? Did he lift weights or maybe he was a punching bag - jogging type. And just how far could that towel drop before she really got an eye full.

Dear Lord she needed help.

"B-Bed rest." Tearing her eyes away from the sinful picture he made, Elizabeth deposited the bowl of soup on the night stand. Her hands trembled making her spill some of the soup over the rim onto her hands. "You have two more days. I promised Monica you'd take it easy."

Watching as she busied herself cleaning the spilled lunch, Jason smirked at the tell-tale blush staining her slender neck up to cheeks. He enjoyed knowing he was the one to put the color on her face. He'd entertained himself a time or two the last few days, by seeing how red he could make her.

But the boredom of being kept a prisoner in his own bed - without her - wore thin. At first he followed Monica's instructions only because Elizabeth had insisted on playing the nursemaid. Allowing her to fuss over him, shoving bowl after bowl of soup down his throat. There wasn't anything in the world he hated more than soup. But he'd slurped every last drop, just to make her happy.

Then there was her constant chatter. To her it was a way to release some of her nervous energy. To him, it was an education in Elizabeth. Never knowing where her thoughts would go next, he listened as she'd talk of her childhood, school or whatever else popped into that pretty little head of hers.

But it was her sketches that showed him the window to her soul. Emily wasn't kidding. Elizabeth had talent. And the emotions he felt while flipping through the pages when she wasn't looking - pictures of him, of the view from the balcony - of Michael. She'd captured him to perfection. Playing, eating, sleeping. It was a story of their time together. And each picture became more detailed, more personal. Where he could almost feel the love pouring off the pages. How much could one person love another?

His favorite times was when she'd bring Michael in and they'd play on the floor while he pretended to rest. Watching Elizabeth and his son rolling around, their laughter made his heart expand until it hurt. This was what family was. This closeness. This sense of home. And he wasn't going to lose it.

It was time to make some sort of sense of the chaos he'd created. To get them back to the point where they'd been before Carly, before his stupidity. They'd been planning their future. Now he just prayed she still wanted to have a part in his and Michael's lives once the drama passed. One thing was certain, he wasn't going to wait around for that moment or waste any more time while he had her with him.

"Elizabeth." Dropping the jeans on the bed, he reached over to where she was straightening the sheets and laid a hand on her elbow. "I've been hurt worse." Seeing the doubt in her eyes, he pulled her closer to him. "Honestly, I don't need any more rest. What I do need, is time with my son and my wife. Are you up to that?"

The ball of terror that had been living with in her stomach started to dissolve. She'd been living in fear of the day Jason was able to get along on his own and realize he didn't really want her there under foot. Of course, something like that would happen only after she realized she couldn't live without him and there was no need trying to figure out what she wanted out of life. No, everything became a whole lot clearer watching someone disappear beneath a sheet of ice.

Her eyes locked with his and she felt herself getting sucked in. The feeling was like walking off a cliff and feeling the free fall. Plummeting hundreds of feet, while gaining speed. Unfortunately impact with the ground usually never fared well and with only the slightest resistance, Elizabeth let go and allowed him to see past any remaining walls she might have.

"I think I can handle that." Bringing a hand up to the face she'd been craving to touch, Elizabeth watched as Jason's pupils dilated. She could've stood like that forever. Feeling his flesh beneath her fingers, his towel clad body just inches from hers.

Feeling him shift he buried his other hand in her hair, her heart skip a few beats before leaping into hyper speed. His breath played across her skin, but instead of kissing her on the lips, he grazed her temple. Time seemed to stand still, as he trailed light kisses down to her cheek until he reached her lips.

He hovered there for what seemed an eternity. The first touch was feather soft, both participants memorized the feeling, the emotion the simple connection created. It wasn't until his hand on her elbow moved to her lower back, gripping her sweater as he pulld her closer, deepening the kiss. His tongue invaded her mouth, skimming hers slowly until her whimper had him wanting more. Fire seeped into their veins making her wonder why they'd waited so long to do this.

Bringing her hand to rest on his chest, she nearly whined when Jason broke the kiss and stepped away.

"We need to talk first before we finish this." Brushing her hair back from her face, Jason leaned down and kissed her forehead.

"Talk." Nodding numbly, Elizabeth tried telling her hands to stop their exploration of his flesh. "We really need to do that."

His body taunt, Jason took a deep breath and let it out slow, as he strained against the desire to toss her over on the bed before climbing on top of her. Lowering his forehead to her's, he squeezed his eyes shut. It wasn't until Elizabeth's butterfly touches drifted down his chest to his navel right above the towel line. Her finger nail grazing his flesh, threatening to dip under the towel, that he wrapped his fingers around her hips and groaned.

Capturing her mouth smoothly, he tugged her flush to his strained body, capturing her hands between them. This time there was no gentleness, but pure pent up sexual frustration. Fisting his hand in her hair again, he angled her head and held it in place.

Fighting to free her hands, Elizabeth felt the towel slip a little lower before dropping to the floor. Giving only a moment pause at Jason's state of undress, she pulled her hands out and wrapped them around his rock hard shoulders.

"Elizabeth?" A voice from far off invaded their world. "Elizabeth?" This time the voice sounded like Brenda's. Footsteps could be heard on the stairs and with a sigh of disappointment, Elizabeth took a step back.

"Sonny wanted to know if - WHOA!" Brenda stopped in mid-stride and spun around with her hands over her eyes. "Jason, not that I don't appreciate a good strip tease once in awhile, do you think you could - oh I don't know - get dressed?" Startled, Elizabeth's eyes swung over to where Brenda was standing, contemplating if she were to kill the petite brunette would she get off on the insanity plea.

"Or if you guys are . . . busy I could just come back later." Waving a hand behind her back blindly, Brenda inched forward. "Tell you what. Keep up whatever you two were doing and just send a smoke signal when your done."

"Brenda." Jason's warning was heard loud and clear.

"I'm going." Taking two steps the impish brunette stuck her head back in the room. "Elizabeth remember he's still supposed to be on bed rest so no kinky stuff."

"Out!" This time a smile flashed across Jason's face as he watched her vanish down the hall. "I hope she didn't . . ."

"Embarrass me?" She finished for him. "I'm getting used to it."

"Good." Watching the muscles play along his shoulders as he looked in the closet for a shirt, Elizabeth swallowed a frustrated groan when he found one.

"How is it that men have no concept on packing?" Rummaging through the cardboard box, Elizabeth's frown deepened. "I can't find a damn thing."

Shoving a chip into her mouth and offering the bag to Emily, Brenda smiled. "Someone's been in a mood lately."

"True.' Nodding her head, and shoving a few chips in, Emily chewed and swallowed. "Kinda, uptight."

"Edgy."

"You two are aware I'm standing over here right?" Shoving the box over to get to the one behind it, Elizabeth glowered at Fric and Frac on the couch.

"Frustrated." The two said in unison.

"I hate you guys." Tearing into the taped up moving box, Elizabeth stared down at it's contents. "Emily this one is yours. I think it came out of your closet." Looking around at the boxes that had been delivered by two large and unwashed movers, she felt at a loss as what to do with all the stuff. None of it seemed to fit into the new life she was making for herself, but she didn't have the heart to toss it in the trash.

"So tell me." Brenda asked cheekily. "How're things between you and Jase?"

Like living hell since he decided on becoming a monk.

"Just great."

Well from the time they woke up until he kissed her goodnight was great. It was the part where he left her alone. By herself. In his bed - without him.

What had he said? They needed time. Or was it he didn't want to rush things? Perhaps even both. Well she'd give the man an A+, because she'd been going to alone for the last week. While he valiantly slept on the living room couch.

God she hoped it was lumpy and was hurting his back.

"You poor girl."

"Stop." Her threatening tone fell on deaf ears.

"Did I tell you that Johnny ran me a bubble bath last night then treated me to a full body message." Emily sighed. "On a bed of rose petals."

God she hated her friends.

"Sonny's more the champagne on ice and candle type. Did Johnny use warm massage oil?"

Her friends were evil.

"Flavored."

"Will you two shut up." Hold her hands over her ears, Elizabeth whimpered. "I haven't had any action since Spring Break - thanks to Brenda and her lousy timing - and I'm ready to . . . to burst."

"Tell us about it." Brenda grunted.

Whipping her head around to where her friends were seated, Elizabeth took in their smug expressions. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say that the sexual frustration you and Jason have compounding between you is an aphrodisiac for anyone within a twenty foot radius. Yay us."

"Boo me."

"Sweetie we feel you pain." Emily grinned wickedly.

"I can feel it all the way over here." Giving her friend a one finger wave, Elizabeth dropped her hand quickly when there was a knock on the door and Sonny stuck his head in.

"Last minute plans." Looking at the three females and seeing their different expressions, Sonny knew it was probably a good thing he'd missed out on the conversation he'd interrupted. "There's business in Las Vegas and against our better judgment we thought we'd invite you trouble makers along."

Silence filled the room, one by one the three girls looked at one another with a scary gleam in their eyes.


	44. Chapter 44

Looking around the lobby where it all started, Elizabeth felt her insides twist just the slightest. So much had happened here. Her life had changed here in many ways, good and bad. She'd met Jason here. Sure she'd woken up next to him, not knowing him from Adam, and she'd found herself married to a stranger. It just seemed right. And she wasn't going to allow the nightmare which ended in blood shed interfere with the positive that happened here.

"Well girls I have a feeling that this is going to be one helluva weekend." Shaking her hair out while they waited for Francis and Max to straighten things out at the front desk, Brenda looked around, a grin from ear to ear.

"Apparently you weren't given the Las Vegas rules." Emily grumbled, pushing her sunglasses on top of her head. "I don't know who was worse. Johnny or Jason."

Turning her attention from the past back to her friends, Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Jason, hands down. I think we had fewer rules last time."

"Didn't we break all your rules last time?" Brenda pointed out. "So how many do you have to ignore?"

"I lost track." Elizabeth grumbled.

"No ditching the guards." Emily counted on her pointer finger as Brenda slid an arm around hers and Elizabeth's waist and slowly guided them toward the casino. Keeping an eye on the two men over at the counter, who continued to argue with the receptionist. "Absolutely, positively no drinking unescorted."

"Does it count if I'm with you?" Tilting her head to the side, Brenda frowned thoughtfully as they walked into the loud casino on the first floor. "No, I can't see how I would count. They probably meant themselves." Motioning to the nearest waitress, Brenda placed their order. "Please continue."

"No gambling." A smile tugged on Emily's face.

"Again, unless we're escorted." Elizabeth chimed in as they spotted the waitress hurry back from the bar.

"Chips. We need chips." On a mission, Brenda grabbed the money tucked in her back pocket and hurried off to the cage. Leaving Elizabeth and Emily to retrieve the drinks from the frazzled waitress.

"You know we're gonna get into trouble, right?" Sipping from the straw, Emily licked her lips in delight.

Swallowing the piece of pineapple that came with hers, Elizabeth nodded her head. "Yup."

"And we haven't gotten through half the rules yet." Wandering through the sea of slot machines with their loud shrill alarms and flashing lights, both girls wore identical grins. "If you ask me, they've had it too easy. I think we should remind them that too many rules can confuse a person."

"Oh absolutely." A wicked little grin on her face. Elizabeth had also come to the same conclusion somewhere over Missouri. She and her sexy spouse had been tiptoeing around one another far too long, and it was time to consummate their marriage - again. If she didn't watch it, Jason was going to think he married little Betty housewife.

Pfft, not likely.

They'd talked everything to death over the last few weeks. Painful- into the early morning hours talks from the soul that mentally exhausted them both. He'd explained several times to her that his job, his life was dangerous, only to have her tell him each time that she was aware of that. But life in itself was dangerous. He'd just recovered from an accident that had nothing to do with his job. Then he'd explained where there may be times he seemed distant, disconnected. She explained she got that way once a month for about five days, but to add bitchy to that list.

He hadn't been the only one to talk. She'd railed at him for his inexcusable absence in her life. Then there was his unwanted, overbearing interference from a hundred miles away. The one thing she didn't 'share' her feelings on was the divorce papers.

Why bring up something she ended up being grateful for?

Even after all their time talking he still hadn't done anything more than get to second base. Honestly, she didn't know if she should be flattered by the sweet way he was treating her, or be insulted because she hadn't been able to push him over the edge into a wild sex frenzy.

Well he didn't have a choice. Sometime this weekend they were going to get it on. Whether she had to tie him down just to take advantage of his heavenly body. But before she did she was going to make sure he was as frustrated as she was, if not more.

"Okay." Rejoining Elizabeth and Emily, her hands overflowing with multicolored chips, Brenda grinned like a lunatic. " I have tons of chip thingies here, and another round of drinks coming. As an added bonus, I just caught a glimpse of Francis dashing around with his cell phone glued to his ear look extremely frazzled." Exhaling loudly, Brenda snickered. "God I love being married to the Mob."

"What do you mean you lost them?" Sonny barked into the phone. Francis started to repeat himself, only to have Sonny interrupt. "All three of them?" Looking up in time to see Jason turn the corner, Sonny shook his head. "You do realize we haven't even checked in yet?" Snapping his phone shut, Sonny shoved his hands deep into his pant's pockets and scowled.

What a way to start a vacation.

"Are the rooms ready?" Carrying a package in his hand, Jason took in the dark look on his friend's face. "What?"

"The girls are missing."

Checking his watch, Jason smirked. "They lasted longer than I expected."

Looking puzzled, Sonny cocked his head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I had a little talk with Mrs. G." Both men headed down the hall where an office had been set up for them. "When they're not in their rooms, they'll be followed by the casino's surveillance camera's. If there's one thing I've learned. Trouble doesn't need to find them. They create it."

"Thinking ahead?"

"No." A secret smile spread across Jason's face.

The first one to walk into the office, Sonny turned and eyed his friend. "Okay what gives?"

"Let's just say I had a hunch they'd attempt mutiny." Setting his package on the edge of the desk before taking a seat, Jason gave a wicked laugh. "I saw it coming when Elizabeth's eyes began to glaze over while I was talking to her about staying out of trouble."

"You know Jase." Scratching the side of his head, Sonny looked doubtful. "You think you have this all figured out. But I have a feeling you're gonna end up on your ass on this one."

Clearly not listening to Sonny's sage advice, Jason propped his feet on the corner of the desk. "Everything is ready. All we have to do now is wait until tomorrow night and make sure they don't figure out something's up."

Shaking his head while rustling through the paperwork that had been left on his desk, Sonny wished Jason could see the big flashing sign that screamed danger, proceed with caution. But it wasn't a lesson someone learned by being told. No. This time Jason was going to have to live and learn.

"Em." Snatching the drink out of her friends hand, Elizabeth apologized to the passing waitress before taking Emily by the hand. "The idea was to break the rule. Not decimate it."

"I feel a little dizzy." Holding a hand to her head, Emily stumbled a bit before allowing herself to be guided through the casino back to the lobby.

"You don't say." Looking around for any sign of Brenda, Elizabeth caught a glimpse of Max. Her feet automatically started to move backwards. But they weren't fast enough in their getaway, and apparently neither was Brenda. Who was being led by the hand in their direction by Francis.

"Hey, funny bumping into you here." Clearly not upset about being found, Brenda patted Francis on the back. "I was having communication issues with the woman at the front desk. Seems -."

Max cleared his throat loudly. "We should get you to your rooms."

"Rooms that no one knew -."

"Dinners at eight." It was Francis's turn to interrupt as he led them to the elevator. "Mrs. G and her husband will be joining us."

"Wonderful." Elizabeth was puzzled over the enthusiastic grin Brenda sent the two men who were almost cowering in the corner. "Maybe she can spread some light on this 'last minute' business crap."

Perfectly happy with staring at the buttons along the panel, Emily frowned before prying her eyes away. "Huh?"

"The reason these two were having such difficulty with our rooms was because no one knew we were coming." Looking quiet proud of herself, Brenda folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall. "So what gives?"

Instead of answering, both men looked at their shoes as though they'd never seen them before.

"Ladies." Emily grinned, her eyes sparkling from the intrigue and the four White Russians she'd slurped up. "I believe our men are up to something."

"Well then who are we to give them a hard time. Making their lives hell, needling, teasing, until one of them give in and sing like a canary."

"It just don't sound right when a woman says it." Francis's grumbled at Brenda's use of words.

"What's wrong if they're trying to surprise us?" Clearly not following, Elizabeth felt like she was missing something.

Nodding in Elizabeth's direction, Max grunted. "Listen to Mrs. Morgan. She's got a valid point."

Ignoring the man, Brenda looked at Elizabeth with pity. "So young and so much to learn."

"Well to be fair she's only had a few weeks." Sobering up with the promise of some down home fun, Emily's grin was contagious. "But I promise she's a fast learner."

"I agree." Nodding, Brenda explained. "Don't get us wrong. Surprises are good. We love surprises. What we don't like is the gloating male pride that comes along with it."

"Like they were able to pull a fast one on us." Emily offered.

"Mrs. Morgan, you really don't need to listen to these two." Max's pleading voice was completely ignored.

"Like it's all that hard to pull something huge off with Sonny and Jason's resources." Rolling her eyes, Brenda looked bored at the thought. "And now that Johnny's been promoted and has hung around with my husband he's also starting to get an inflated head."

"Okay." Holding up a hand, Elizabeth stopped the conversation. "Surprises, good. Inflated, I'm-the-man-and-surprised-the-weak-minded-wife attitude sucks. I'm I getting this right?"

"Yes!" The two girls said in unison, as the two men shouted the opposite. "No!"

"So what should we do?"

"Well I personally enjoy keeping the surprise hell to keep secret." Brenda said matter of fact. "Keeps Sonny on his toes."

"I go with the disinterest routine." Emily offered. "I find it irritates Johnny. Slightly remedial, but when I won't pick up on any of his clues he starts to sweat under the collar. Then he tries harder. It's all rather entertaining. But he's been nicely rewarded."

Now looking sick, Francis squeezed his eyes shut. "We don't need details."

"I was going to be a complete tease. Make sure Jason remembered I'm a flesh and blood woman. Do you think I should do something else?" Elizabeth knew she was being naughty, but it was a riot the way Francis and Max looked as though they were on the verge of a nervous break down. The kind when a male gets information overload from planet female. But it could be worse. They could be discussing hygiene products instead.

"Oh. I like that." Nodding her head wisely, Brenda contemplated this. "You're going to have to stop at the Boutique, I saw this little number that's sure to make Jason's blood flow south."

"What about these two." Fluttering her lashes at the two guards, Elizabeth enjoyed the way they squirmed.

"Don't worry about them." Standing on tippy toes and kissing Francis on the cheek, Brenda left a crimson kiss mark. "They know if they squeal we'll make their lives hell. . . Won't we boys?"

The elevator stopped at their floor and three extremely pleased women, and two disgruntled guards got off.


	45. Chapter 45

"So?" The question was asked before Sonny had the door closed behind him. Shrugging out of his jacket, he carelessly tossed it to the side. But instead of being answered, Brenda held up a finger to her mouth and hushed him.

"Yes the little black one. Does it come in petite?" Tapping her Platinum credit card on the table, Brenda nodded as the voice on the other end of the line spoke. "That'd be great. Make sure you add something hot for underneath. Oh and that blue number. The one where there's a piece of material across the chest that twists once, and there's a little gap between it and the skirt."

Giving the person on the other end of the line her number, Brenda's smile turned evil. "No, don't deliver it here. It's for Elizabeth Morgan in suite 1145. Do me a favor and place a card at the bottom of the package. Write; May all your dreams come true."

Hanging up the phone, Brenda giggled as she sank back into the couch, a scary little smirk on her lips. "What'd you do Brenda?"

"Me?" Pressing a perfectly manicured hand to her chest, Brenda fluttered her eyes. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Oh God. I don't want to know?" Sonny felt a chill run through his body. "Or do I? Am I gonna have to bail you out of jail?"

Pinching her lips together, Brenda looked thoughtful. "Depends."

"On?"

"Jason."

"Bren! You told Elizabeth didn't you. I knew I shouldn't have told you anything." Looking panicked, Sonny sat down in the nearest chair. "Bren you promised."

"First you didn't tell me anything. I figured it out and got you to admit to it." Bristling at his attitude, Brenda sniffed.

"You threatened to cut me off."

"Second I didn't promise anything. But I wouldn't consider myself that evil."

"I never said you were evil." The conversation had deviated in a direction that Sonny found hard to follow.

"I didn't tell her anything. Thank you very much."

"I jumped to conclusions. I apologize." Waiting until Brenda's agitated expression faded, Sonny let out a dry chuckle. "So what's up with the call?"

Not allowing her husband's behavior to rain on her parade, Brenda regained her shine. "Let's just say I'm helping Elizabeth out. She has a . . . situation that needs to be seen to."

"And how does this effect Jason?" Watching the way his wife's smile brightened the room, Sonny thanked whatever God was looking out for him. He needed Brenda in his life. For her silliness and her mischievousness. Her loyalty and sense of family. She was his perfect match. And studying his wife he knew this was Brenda mischief, not Brenda mayhem. Which meant he could relax and enjoy the show.

"Well, lets just say they have opposite agendas at this very moment."

"Opposite . . . ?" Sonny's eyes popped open as Brenda wiggled her brows. "Oh. Well this should prove to be an interesting weekend. Does Emily know?"

"About the secret? Nope. About Elizabeth's plan? Oh yeah."

"So this means Johnny . . ."

"Poor Johnny is going to be going through a different kind of hell. See I can keep a secret."

Laughing at her pouty expression, Sonny rolled his eyes. "You tricked the truth out of me."

"All's fair in love and . . .

" . . . war." Hearing the door to their suite shut, Elizabeth took one last look at her reflection before reaching for the silk robe lying on the bed. She could do this. Heck she could just cut to the chase and walk out there naked and force herself on him. But she had her pride and a bruised ego to consider.

"Elizabeth?" Almost feeling sorry for Jason and the hell she was hoping to put him through, Elizabeth tied the belt loosely around her waist before stepping from the bedroom for her grand entrance.

"About time you got here." Her fingers shook only the slightest as she ran a comb through her wet hair. Trying to act nonchalant as though standing in front of Jason with nothing but a filmy robe and nothing else was an every day thing. "We have a hour to get ready for dinner."

Looking up from the folder in his hand, Jason tried say something, but found it difficult when his mouth dried like the Sahara making his tongue stick to the roof of his mouth. Blinking became impossible as Elizabeth stood across the room, in a flowing pink robe. The V opening fell just under the valley of her breasts. Leaving her delicate flesh, lots of her creamy flesh, uncovered.

"Johnny called a few minutes ago." Encouraged by his wide eyed silence, Elizabeth moved further into the room. "He sounded a little testy." Which only meant Emily was living up to her word.

Poor Johnny.

Clearing his throat, Jason couldn't believe his palms were actually sweating. His pants felt just a little snug and if his heart didn't drop down from his throat back into his chest, he was going to have some difficulty breathing let alone carrying on a conversation.

"Jason?" Her voice gave him goose bumps. Those lush lips were moving. And all he could think of was how damn good they'd feel against his -. "Are you alright?"

"D-Did he want me to call?" Forcing words past the tightness in his throat, Jason tried to keep his tone neutral, but even to his own ears he sounded like some pathetic pre-adolescent. Not that it surprised him none. After a few weeks with a raging case of blue balls, he was content by being able to walk upright.

"He didn't really say." Moving now to the couch, Elizabeth sat and crossed one leg over the other. Allowing the liquid like material to slip off her leg and leaving a large about of flesh available for Jason's wandering eye. "I unpacked your suit. You really should get ready."

He was ready, and it sure as hell wasn't for some damn dinner party. What he wanted to do was rip that taunting piece of material off her and . . . No. Not yet. He wasn't some damn animal who couldn't control herself. Just because he could clearly see the outline of her nipples . . .

Look at him squirm. Elizabeth thought. It'll do him some good to endure what she'd been feeling over the last few weeks. Having little things, like a tone of voice or a slight movement turn her blood into a boiling chaos of hormones. Lying in bed until the early hours of morning tossing and turning. Knowing that Jason was just ten feet from the stairs, twelve steps down and eight strides to the couch.

A knock at the door broke the awkward silence, and Jason practically leapt at the chance to do something other than be tempted by his wife. Making sure to opening wasn't large enough for whoever was on the other side to see Elizabeth on the couch, Jason glared down at the bellboy who refused to return his gaze.

"P-Package for Elizabeth Morgan." Shoving the parcel at Jason, the nervous boy looked at the guard stationed outside the door before gulping and dashing away. Leaving the two men to stand staring at one another.

With a frown, Jason looked down at the box. It was from one of the Boutiques on the third floor. Closing the door behind him Jason set the box on a table. "Did you order something?"

"No." Curious, Elizabeth stood and went over to inspect the box. "I wonder who sent it?" Reaching out to pull on the fat red bow, Elizabeth was stopped when Jason's hand enclosed around hers. "What?"

"We should have it inspected."

"You're kidding right?" Throwing her head back, Elizabeth turned to her husband and placed her free hand on his face. "Relax. I'm sure no one sent me a bomb."

Narrowing his eyes, Jason took a step closer. "How can you know that?"

"Jason Morgan, you're just being silly now." Keeping her eyes connected with his, Elizabeth used her free hand and pulled on the ribbon till it gave. "Boom."

"Not funny." Letting go of her hand, he didn't back away when she stepped between him and the table.

Lifting the lid of the box, Elizabeth pushed back the tissue paper. Feeling Jason looking over her shoulder, she decided to move back a smidgen, just to ensure some body contact. Why not take advantage of a perfectly good opportunity?

Picking up the first item from the box, the black material unfolded making her eyes widen. Tiny, nearly not there straps held on dangerously by a few measly threads to the richest buttery soft black suede she'd ever felt. There wasn't much to it, but that was probably the idea.

"Maybe I'll wear it tonight."

"Maybe you'll be staying here."

"Oh come on Jason." Holding the dress up to her, it barely covered all the important parts. "I have a pair of shoes that'd go perfectly with this. We could catch a show after dinner."

"Elizabeth, that wouldn't cover your -." Clamping his mouth shut, Jason silently planned the dress's demise.

Turning her attention back to the box, Elizabeth's eyes widened. It was the items under the first dress that had her face turning beet red, and wishing Jason would decide to look the other way. A corset like bra and some painful looking underwear were next. It wasn't that she didn't wear G-string undies, like most woman she hated panty lines. But the things in the box look down right evil. Not to mention uncomfortable.

"Who in the hell sent you this?" Hearing a warning growl rumbling in his chest, Elizabeth quickly shifted past the undergarments and second dress and found a card on the bottom. Before Jason could reach for it, she tore the envelope open and laughed. "Brenda."

He was going to kill her. She knew he wanted to wait. Well she did after blackmailing Sonny. And she seemed sympathetic at the time, even supportive. He should've been wary when she'd been so agreeable.

Feeling Elizabeth shift in front of him, Jason groaned and jumped back. "I'm going to jump in the shower." A cold one.

Fastening the clasp of her earing, Emily gloated as she caught her husband's pouting reflection in the mirror. The poor little baby was really having a rough go of it. She'd have to make it up to him tonight.

From the moment he'd shown up, she had him coming and going. Fist calling him on the 'last minute trip' crap, then acting like it really didn't matter. Having him mistaken her 'disinterest' as anger. He'd stammered for an hour before cracking.

"Emily you gotta promise." Pleading with his wife, Johnny didn't know what made him feel worse.

The way his pretty new bride was able to play him. Or how he'd gone from a reasonably intelligent man, to the blundering idiot. He could make a grown man cry till he peed his pants. Knew one hundred spots on the human body that with the slightest of touches would bring a giant to it's knees.

"Don't worry." Standing from the vanity, Emily walked over to where he was slouching on the couch. Giving him a coy smile. "I'm good at keeping secrets."


	46. Chapter 46

He was going to kill her. There wasn't a grand jury in the continental US that would indite him. Sitting next to his extremely underdressed wife, Jason gritted his teeth each time she shifted, or moved, or did anything that would make her breasts push against the already too tight material of the thing she flippantly referred to as a dress. Worse, he couldn't erase what she was wearing underneath from his mind.

He'd endured a thirty minute cold shower, before he could trust himself around Elizabeth. For all the good it did, seeing that Elizabeth was Elizabeth was standing in the middle of the bedroom clad only in the smallest G-string known to mankind. A microscopic triangle of black satin that was miraculously held in place by ribbons tied at her narrow waist. She was trying to get her bra fastened and looked to be failing miserably.

Then she asked the impossible. She wanted help. Standing there all innocent like, her beautiful eyes seemed to hypnotize him. Pulling him to her. Beckoning him insanely close. He knew Alexis could convince the jury that she was purposely entrapping him. Little shy gestures, graceful movements that drew his eye stray to certain parts of her body.

What could he do?

He supposed the DA would be prick enough to argue he could've just simply helped. Offered a hand. Instead of backing Elizabeth against the bed while at the same time tugging her up against his still wet skin. He could've let go, put some distance between them instead of gazing down into her stormy blue eyes, while she trembled in his arms. It was her whimper from her already parted lips that had been the nail in his coffin. Something in the back of his brain clicked off as he captured her mouth with his before bringing her down on the bed.

He'd all but mounted her. Perhaps climbing on top of Elizabeth wasn't necessarily the correct way of securing an undergarment, but it was a trivial thing, seeing that her bra thingy ended up tossed on the floor. Along with what she considered underwear, only after he loosened the ribbons with his teeth.

God she'd lain there, responding to every one of his touches. Her flesh warm and inviting. And completely off limits for the next thirty hours.

Taking a deep breath, Jason shifted in his chair, trying to clear his mind and pay attention to the conversation around him. Emily was telling a story about one of the misadventures she and Elizabeth had their Freshman year. Johnny sat next to her, looking slightly out of sorts, and refusing to make eye contact.

Which only meant his big mouthed sister knew. Moving his attention from his sister's husband to Sonny, Jason bit back a groan when Brenda smirked and winked in his direction. How in the hell did the two biggest blabber mouths find out? As far as he knew, when the plane had taken off earlier that day, no one but Sonny and Johnny had a clue about the surprise.

Now it looked like Alexis was going to have to get him off a triple homicide.

Jerk. Prick. Freaking tease.

She swore on all that was holy, the second Jason Morgan pulled his head from his anal cavity and gave into his more primal instincts she was going to turn into the world's largest icicle. She'd give him such a heinous case of frostbite his unused nether region would turn black and fall off. See if he liked being worked up to the point of screaming. Only to find the person who was making you speak in tongues, trampolining off the bed with a handful of lame ass excuses.

Damn him for being so unaffected. For sitting there relaxed as every molecule in her body physically ached. Jason looked totally at ease and it chafed at every one of her nerve endings. Making her want to stab her dessert fork into his thigh and see how 'unaffected' he remained.

They'd been so close. His mouth on her breast, while his other hand was doing things she'd been dreaming about. The only thing separating them was a fluffy hotel towel and Jason's newly found prudism.

But for a few minutes they'd been smokin hot. His fingers found every spot that ached for his touch, ripping moan after delightful moan from her, his mouth worked miracles of it's own. She'd been able to entice a few groans of pleasure from him too.

He'd been excited. She'd felt his excitement, had wrapped her hand around it in fact. So how was he able to switch his hormones on and off like that? To be glistening with sweaty need one second, grinding his hips into hers, to getting ready for a formal dinner the next.

If she didn't kill him first, she might think about sticking a set of keys into the nearest electrical outlet and taking herself out.

Forcing a laugh at some story Emily just finished, Elizabeth decided it was a good time to excuse herself from the table. A bathroom break might do her wonders. It didn't surprise her much when Brenda and Emily rose too, everyone knew women couldn't pee unless they were in a pack.

"I can't believe Jason let you out of the suite wearing that dress." Brenda whispered. Looping her arm through Elizabeth's. "Do I have great taste or what?"

"He didn't have much of a choice." Elizabeth grumbled as they followed Emily down the hall. "Not after what he did."

Reaching the bathroom door first, Emily rolled her eyes heavenward. "Oh God, what'd he do now."

Waiting till they were all in the bathroom and checking to make sure it was empty, Elizabeth turned to her two friends.

"Do I smell or something?"

"Ah, no." Not sure where this was leading, Emily's brows lowered.

"Is there some repulsive growth I can't see coming out of my neck or face?"

"Elizabeth you're beautiful." Brenda exchanged a look with Emily. "What's going on?"

"Jason and I were this close." Putting a inch space between her thumb and pointer finger, Elizabeth felt tears burning the back of her eyes. "And he practically jumps off the bed. No, actually he did jump off the bed because he almost stumbled backwards into the dresser."

"Elizabeth I'm sure it has nothing to do with you." Trying to comfort Elizabeth, Emily knew she just uttered the one thing that could only make it worse when her best friend's face crumpled. "No Elizabeth that's not -."

"You think there's something going on with him? Oh God, I should have known this would happen." Wiping at her eyes, disgusted at herself, Elizabeth looked in the mirror only to yelp at the mess she was making. If she just learn to grab a tissue, like any normal female, when she felt tears coming so she wouldn't end up looking like a rabid raccoon. "He's changed his mind hasn't he? Be honest. He's just trying to figure out a way to tell me and I haven't been helping by throwing myself at him."

"No!" Pulling a few tissues free, Emily helped her friend fix the mess she was making. "Don't even think that. Jason loves you. Michael loves you. The three of you belong together."

"So I'm supposed to live with him platonically for the rest of my life?"

"There's always other ways to please -."

"Brenda." Cutting off the other brunette before she made the situation worse, Emily made a sharp motion with her head. "This has gone too far. His intentions are right on but Jason's only hurting her."

"What are you talking about?" Miserable and not sure what Emily was saying, Elizabeth blew her nose. "What's gone to far?"

"I want it to go on record that I just found out today and I'm technically not the one who's telling you." The words rushed out of Brenda's mouth, as she pulled a tube of lipstick out of her purse.

Emily gave Brenda a look didn't really say thank you. "There was no last minute business."

Frowning, Elizabeth shrugged. "We already gathered that."

"Jason's never been known for his creativity." Brenda snorted at Emily's use of words. "But somehow he's come up with a doozy all on his own and has enlisted the help of our husbands. Which, if you really think about it is kind of -."

"Jez Em just spit it out." Impatient, Brenda practically vibrated with tension.

"He's planning on surprising you with a wedding. There, happy now?"

Elizabeth blinked a few times, then tilted her head back and laughed. All the pieces fell into place and it felt like a two ton elephant was lifted from her chest. God she could just kiss him. "And he's trying to hold off till our wedding night?"

"Yeah. You've been making a little difficult." Brenda's smile spread across her face. "Well, I helped. It was all his idea. He found the original person who married you two last time. Had Sonny help him pick out flowers."

"Even Michael's here with Letica." Seeing the color return to Elizabeth's face, Emily felt better. "He wants him with you guys at the alter."

"How sweet of him." Holding a hand over her chest, Elizabeth smiled wavered. "And stupid. I've all but tied him down and took advantage of him . . ." A ghost of a smile returned. "He's so thoughtful."

"So will you just go along with it and act surprised tomorrow?" Could she wait until tomorrow? Emily and Brenda waited impatiently for her answer.

"I can do that."

"So how long did it take before Brenda had you ratting me out?" Once the girls were gone and the Gianni's excused themselves so they could make their rounds of the diningroom, Jason leaned forward and looked his friend in the eye.

"Remember when we went to the back of the plane so Brenda could lay down?" Giving Jason an apologetic smile, Sonny shrugged his shoulders. "She threatened to cut me off for a month."

"You're pathetic." Grunting, Jason swung his attention to his brother-in-law. "Well?"

Looking completely wretched, Johnny frowned. "Em tricked it out of me. I can't even tell you how she did it."

"Amateur." Sonny laughed.

Leaning back again in his chair, Jason contemplated the odds on Emily and Brenda keeping their mouths shut. He wanted to give Elizabeth a wedding she could at least remember, and a wedding night she'd never forget. At first it'd been important for it to be a surprise for some reason. But now, all that mattered now was giving Elizabeth what she deserved.

Where he liked the idea of a surprise, he wouldn't be too upset if she knew.

But the reception Sonny had suggested was going to have to be rescheduled, because once they said their I Do's, nothing was going to stop him from enjoying his wife.


	47. Chapter 47

Returning to the diningroom, Elizabeth felt as though she'd been hit by a bolt of inspiration. Coming to a grinding halt, almost succeeding in getting run over by Emily and Brenda as they teetered on their pencil thin heels.

"I have a plan." With a devilish smile and what could be considered a wicked laugh, Elizabeth pulled them back a few feet by their hands, while ignoring the nervous look that crossed Emily's face."And I need help."

"I don't know." Grimacing, Emily hesitated. "I've seen that look on your face before and usually we barely avoid getting into some major trouble. Remember that indecent exposer thing."

"Yes." Elizabeth drawled. " And I also remember you weren't as innocent in the whole mater as you like to pretend." Narrowing her eyes for a moment, Elizabeth gave her friend a smirk. "We could talk about it more or I can tell you what I'm thinking."

"Gee. Wow. I'm really of torn here." Tap her chin with her blood-red nail. "On the one hand I've been dying to hear that story. But on the other hand, Elizabeth looks like she's up to something that's going to keep me entertained for weeks. I'm always up for a little fun. What's a girl to do?"

"Choose the entertainment." Elizabeth answered tartly. "There's years for me to tell the story in it's entirety."

"I just want it to go on record, that when we have to call our husbands from jail, I'm not above telling you I told you so." Seeing that she was in it whether she wanted to be or not, Emily decided not to fight it. "What's the plan?"

"Well, since you asked . . ."

"I don't think I've ever eaten that much in my entire life." With a hand to her stomach, Elizabeth let out a deep groan and leaned back against the wall of the elevator. "I'm surprised my dress didn't rip at the seems."

"What little there is of it." Jason grumbled under his breath.

Tilting her gaze up, Elizabeth gave her grumpy husband an innocent smile. "What was that?"

"Nothing." Running a hand through his spiky hair, Jason let his hand fall to his side before he reaching up to tug at his restricting collar. "I can't wait to get out of his suit."

"Me too." Elizabeth whispered not too quietly. Feeling Jason body go tense at her side making her eyes sparkle with laughter. Leaning against him, Elizabeth hid a satisfied grin when Jason's muscles tightened under his Armani.

Now that she knew why he was behaving like he was, Elizabeth felt silly for believing Jason was unaffected. Yawning, she snuggled closer as the elevator neared their floor. " I'm dying for a long, hot bubble bath."

With perfect timing, elevator came to a halt and Elizabeth chanced a look up at her silent husband who's jaw was clenched and his breathing erratic. Poor baby. Cause it was about to get worse.

Exiting the elevator before Jason, Elizabeth took advantage of her position and made sure her hips swung a little more suggestively than usual. No sense in letting the immodest length of her dress go to waste. Reaching their suite before he did Elizabeth smiled at the guard who was waiting as she floated past him through the door.

Heading to the couch, Elizabeth waited until she heard the door secure behind her before using the back of the couch for support as she bent over to unclasp her shoes. Too bad the tiny little dress didn't cover up much.

"So were you and Sonny able to finish your business?" Acting like it were an everyday event, her standing bent over with out a modest shred of decency as she carried on a conversation with her husband.

Not surprised by his lack of response, she straightened and looked over to where he was standing. Frozen in the middle of taking off his tie. God she was going to have to make this up to him when all was said and done. But only after he successfully made it up to her.

Seeming to find the ability to speak again. "There's just some lose strings." Thoughts of her panties invaded his head.

"That's good." Bending back over, she undid the other clasp before straightening up. "Do you think you could unzip the back for me?" Lifting her hair up out of the way, she peeked over her shoulder to where Jason looked to have taken root to. "I just loved that Death by Chocolate dessert tonight, didn't you? It was practically orgasmic."

Never in his life had he felt like crying. But having to stand back and watch as his little vixen bent over, taunting him with her tight bottom in the air. The hem of her skirt just high enough so he could catch a glimpse of the black G-sting she wore. Now she was talking about orgasms. He knew the more he resisted her attempts in seducing him, the more creative she was going to become.

Christ he was ready to break.

He'd been sure the blabber twins would've spilled about the pending nuptials, but apparently Elizabeth was still in the dark. Perhaps he could make something up. Tell Elizabeth not to wait up while he bunked with Michael down the hall for the night. It was the only way he could see keeping his hands off the bride until after the wedding.

"Jason?" Looking up at her again, he blinked. "Are you feeling okay?"

Clearing his throat, Jason felt like some thirteen year old just hitting puberty, or he assumed this lack of control was what it felt like. It was one of the perks of having brain damaged and your memories wiped clean. He didn't have to remember those less then stellar moments most teenage boys had to go through. Luckily for him, he now had Elizabeth to help him with that. "Fine. I'm fine."

"That's great." Clearly amused now, Elizabeth shook her head at him. "My dress. Can you help me." She turned her back to him again, waiting. Instead of going to her right away, Jason fought against the urge to bend her over the couch and bury himself deep inside her until she was screaming out his name in pleasure.

Taking shallow breaths, he took the three steps that were needed to reach her and careful not to touch her skin he had her unzipped before retreating to the couch like the coward he was.

"So are you going to sleep out here on the couch, or join me in the bedroom like most husbands do?" Keeping her tone light, Elizabeth waited for the answer she knew already by heart.

"I don't want to rush anything." Jason really was going to have to find another excuse, Elizabeth mused. He didn't even sound convincing to her own ears. It was a good thing she was a patient and kind wife. Or she would've hit him upside the head with a skillet already.

Rounding the couch Elizabeth placed her hands on her hips and stared down at him. She could only imagine the picture she made. Her dress hanging loosely on her, ready to slip off as she stared down her notoriously dangerous mobster husband.

"Rush? Jason how much longer are we going to wait?" It really was too bad. Elizabeth was sure the wedding he and Sonny threw together would've been wonderful. "Are you not attracted to me now?"

Feeling the air get knocked from his chest, Jason stared at her appalled by the thought. Not find her attractive? Yeah right. She turned him on by just breathing. Let alone standing half dressed in front of him, as the straps inched their way over her shoulder and down her arms. Her unbound hair falling in a cloud of mink colored curls ending just beneath her shoulder blades. And those breasts. Just the memory of having his hands on such perfection could keep him hard for days.

"Of course I'm attracted to you." The last thing he wanted was for her to believe he didn't want her. But he could see where she might get that idea. Sleeping apart, doing nothing more than kissing and some petting. . . really heavy petting.

"But earlier." Her voice lowered just above a whisper and thoughts from earlier invaded his head again. Making him instantly rock hard. "You didn't . . ."

Oh god, no he didn't. "I just want to take this slow. I can't lose you again."

A coy smile spread across her face. "Jason you're not going to lose me." Jason's mouth went as she let her dress shimmy down her tight body, past her hips to pool on the floor around her feet. He would've begged her to stop if his heart was beating like a time bomb in his throat.

Elizabeth watched her husband's barely controlled features and scolded herself for being such a silly little girl. It was a turn on, knowing she could make turn someone like Jason on like this. Closing the distance between them Elizabeth reached out and let the tips of her fingers trace his lower lip before traveling over the stubble on his chin and down his neck.

"Elizabeth." His tone was pleading as he caught her hand in his much larger one and sucked in a deep breath when her fingers grazed the shell of his ear before curling behind his neck. For the life of him he didn't know if he was pleading for her to stop or to keep on going.

Dipping her head down, Elizabeth locked her eyes with his and felt a rush from their connection. It was like touching a live wire and feeling the electrical current rushing through her. Flying through her system to each nerve ending. But it was nothing compared to the bolt of lightning she felt zipping through her body, when she lowered her lips to his. It was like the oxygen supply in the room had been sucked dry, leaving her breathless and lightheaded.

But it didn't compare when something snapped inside Jason. One moment she was teasing him as she ran her tongue over his closed mouth. The next she was under his hard and straining body as his mouth crashed down on hers. His hands were all over her body at once.

Twisting, Elizabeth cradled his body between her thighs and let out a satisfied moan when he jerked his hips against hers. Tearing at the buttons on the shirt he still wore, Elizabeth titled back her head as Jason nuzzled her neck while he snapped the straps from her dress in a fierce pull.

"I. Hate. This. Dress." His husky voice in her ear sent shivers down her spine. Nodding her head, Elizabeth gave up on undoing the shirt and moved to pulling the tails from his pants so she could touch his flesh.

"Oh God Jason." Hitching her leg over his upper thigh, as her hands roamed over his flesh.

"Elizabeth." With a disgusted moan, Jason stilled and bent his head down. "We can't. God we can't." Rolling off her with reluctance, he

Wanting to scream, she had to remind herself that there were people waiting for them. Her husband was sweet enough, or crazy enough to want to wait until they got married, again. And she'd make sure he got what he wanted. "You're right. We can't . . . yet. But once I get dressed and we go met everyone I think you'll be singing another tune."

"Why would I sing . . .What are you talking about." Turning his head so he could watch her rise from the floor, Jason narrowed his eyes. "Where are we going."

"Well to get married Mr. Morgan." Disappearing to the sound a few off colored phrases, she hurriedly got dressed in a simple sheath.

"Which one?" Leaning against the doorframe, Jason's dark scowl only made him look like a little boy who didn't get his way. "Which one told you?"

"Both." Slipping on a pair of shoes, Elizabeth walked over to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to her. "It's the sweetest, most caring thing anyone has ever done for me."

"I wanted to give you a wedding you could remember." Kissing her forehead, he sighed. "That you deserved."

"Well if we don't hurry we're going to miss it." Drawing in a deep breath, she drank in his scent before whispering into his ear. God she could just stand there like this, pressed up against him, his arms wrapped around her tight. "I estimate, if we don't mess around we could be back here in under two hours."

Growling, Jason captured her mouth with his, slipping his tongue past her soft lips. Both took a step closer and wrapped their arms around one another, trying to get as close as possible to the other. Just as abruptly as the kiss started it ended as Jason took a step back. "Lets go get Michael and do this then."


	48. Chapter 48

"Where are they?" Twisting the ring on her left hand, Emily paced back and forth in the empty hallway. A room full of people waited behind a closed door a few feet away. "I swear to god if their consummating their marriage without going through the second wedding I will kill them."

"Emily stop wearing out the carpet." Leaning her head against the wall behind her, Brenda yawned. They'd done a miricle in a little amount of time.

There'd been flowers to get, guests to find. Not to mention the thrown together reception waiting for them a few more rooms down the hall. Now all they had to do was have a bride and a groom to get the show on the road.

"What if they don't show?" Her pretty mouth pinched into a frown, Emily rubbed at her forehead.

"Will you stop that!" Slapping at Emily's hand, Brenda made a face. "Not only is it annoying and bad for you pours." Brenda folded her arms across her chest. "But it looks as though you're trying to rub a lamp for wishes."

Dropping her hand to her side, Emily stuck her tongue out. "If they're not here in ten minutes, you're going to be the one to go in there and tell everyone the weddings off."

"Sorry. My powers are only to be used for good." Smirking at Emily's growing anxiety Brenda pretended to study her nails. "Why are you wound so tight?"

"Because after what happened last time I want this night to be perfect. Jason and Elizabeth deserve it."

"I'd think they'd appreciate the irony if it didn't go off without something happening."

"You're kidding right?" Looking almost ill, Emily started rubbing at her forehead again. "Please tell my you didn't do something . . ."

"Like hire a stripper to interrupt their vows?" Laughing at the horrified look on Emily's face, Brenda shook her head. "Of course not. I wouldn't do anything to ruin their wedding. Well their second wedding."

"Thank God."

"Not when I have a life time of mischief ahead for us." Her laughter was cut short with the sound of the elevator bell announced it's arrival. Both females let out a sigh of relief when Jason stepped into the hallway with Michael on his hip and Elizabeth's hand in his.

"Where in the hell have you two been?" Apparently Bridezilla was back, and possessing Emily's body. "There's a roomful of guests in there who are being tortured by Johnny's dumbass jokes." Taking Michael from Jason, Emily hurried down the hall.

Watching everything with an evil smile on her face, Brenda was smart enough to take a step back as Emily passed. Usually sweet and polite, the girl had an evil side to her she hid well. "You know there's still enough time to go get sloppy drunk. Relive the past."

"Shut up Brenda." Jason grimaced toward the door that led to the chapel. The only way he could explain the nauseous, cramped feeling in his stomach was nervousness. For the first time in his life, or at least the parts he could remember, he was nervous. No. He was scared shitless.

He was about to pledge himself, again, to Elizabeth. This time he was going to make sure he remembered every detail. That, and he wasn't going to fuck it up this time. This version of their marriage was going to be until death do us part. Even then he doubted he'd be pried away from the wonderful woman by his side.

Winking over at Elizabeth, Brenda stepped forward and adjusted Jason's tie. "Look, you have a big boy tie on. I always thought you used one of those clip on kinds."

Narrowing his eyes at the tiny woman, Jason felt satisfied when she started to fidget under his heavy stare. Finally Brenda couldn't take it anymore and snapped. "What?"

"I'm just imagining you with duct tape over your mouth."

"Ha-ha. Funny." Giving him a bored look that didn't quiet travel to her sparkling eyes, Brenda tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Better get in there and take your place. The crowd's about to get restless."

Feeling his stomach tighten again, Jason turned to Elizabeth and took both her hands into his. Her skin felt like silk. He felt like a giant standing next to her. He'd made so many mistakes. Had hurt her. Leaving her when she'd been at her lowest. He'd all but kicked her puppy, but after all that she still wanted him. And he was going to spend his life worshiping the ground she walked on.

"I'll see you in there."

"Have I told you yet how handsome you look?" Stepping forward and touching her lips softly against his, Elizabeth was about to pull him closer when an angry voice snapped at them from behind.

"What are you doing? There's people in there waiting and you two are making out in the hallway?" Pointing a finger into Jason's chest, Emily snapped. "I swear to God if you're not at the front of the Chapel, standing next to Sonny in two seconds-."

Leaning over quickly and kissing his baby sister on the forehead, Jason smirked. "Has anyone told you that weddings bring out the best in you?"

"You'll thank me latter." Gripping onto his suit jacket in an iron grip, Emily marched him into the room. Leaving Elizabeth alone in the hallway with Brenda.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth nodded.

"You might want to exhale. It works better when you're trying not to faint." Smiling knowingly at her, Elizabeth watched Brenda head over to a box sitting up against the wall.

Pulling out a bouquet of soft pink and white lilies, Brenda held them out to her. "There wasn't much to choose from. Not at this hour."

"They're pretty." Touching the petals gently, Elizabeth smiled softly at the way her hands were shaking. "I can't believe I'm so nervous."

"Second thoughts?" Looking amused, Brenda pulled out two more bouquets from the box.

"No." Shaking her head, Elizabeth's eyes darted to the door, expecting to see Emily standing there. Ready to become unglued. "You'd think already being married would make me less nervous. But it makes it more real to me. And there's Michael. I hope I can be the Mother he needs me to be."

"I think you're sweating the small stuff." Brenda said in a seldom moment of seriousness. "I don't think you have it in you not to be a great Mother. To Michael, or the children you and Jason will someday have. If you weren't the person you were, I wouldn't have been rooting for you all this time." Her soft smile turned into a slight smirk. "Besides, you're a kick in the ass to get in trouble with."

"Thanks." Wiping the moisture from her eyes, Elizabeth hugged her friend tightly. "You too."

"Okay let's get this show on the road." Stepping out into the hallway, Emily paused when she saw her two friends hugging. "I want a hug."

"Only if you take your medication and bring Emily back." Sniffing, Brenda tried to keep from bawling like a baby. If couldn't keep her eyes dry before the bride got down the aisle, her perfectly applied mascara didn't stand a chance.

Coming over and joining the hug, Emily smiled. "You look beautiful."

"We all look beautiful." True to Brenda form, Sonny's wife pulled herself together with a joke. "Are you ready Mrs Morgan, to become Mrs Morgan. Again?"

"You have no idea."

"I'm sweating like a pig." Pulling at the collar around his neck, Max grumbled when Francis jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow.

"Will you shut your trap?" Grumbling under his breath, the other man grinned over at the Justice of the Peace when he looked their way. "There's respectable people here."

"We're in freaking Vegas." Muttering low, Max shifted his large body. "And half the people in this room is connected to the mob."

"What're you saying?" Johnny grumbled. "That were a bunch of untrained apes scratching ourselves and flinging poo at one another?"

"That's just gross." Making a face, Max had the grace to blush when Sonny sent the three men a look.

"I don't know half the people here." Looking around the room, Francis tried to ignore the way his feet throbbed. "Who are they?"

"Don't know." Johnny shrugged. "Ask Brenda and Emily."

"You know, when I finally find the right woman to settle down with, I sure as hell aint gonna let her lead me around by the nose like those girls do." Max said, and immediately swallowed a groan when his feet where stepped on by the men on either side of him.

"Where is she?" Trying to block out the bickering of two men, Jason kept his eyes glued to the door. "You don't think she changed her mind?"

"Yes Jason. I think she changed her mind." Sonny answered sarcastically. "What's up with you?"

"I don't know." Frowning, Jason prayed this uptight feeling would disappear.

"It's from the lack of sex." Johnny whispered. The four men standing by Jason swallowed their laughter when the Justice of the Peace looked their way again. When it was good to talk again, Max mumbled under his breath. "I bet it'll be nice to have your blood travel back to your brain soon."

Before Jason could answer, the music began to play. His attention was targeted on the door where Brenda just entered. Watching her walk down the aisle, he couldn't help but wonder why bridesmaids had to walk so slow. Was it to torture the groom? Having to stand there, at the front of the room, while everyone stared.

Emily came in next, and Jason saw Johnny stand up a little straighter out of the corner of his eye.

The tempo changed, and everyone in the room turned. Soon Jason came into view. Her mink colored curls framed her face from where they escaped the up-do she'd fought with earlier. A shimmering ice blue dress kissed her body in all the right places. Shimmering diamonds circled her neck and hung from her ears. But none of those things meant anything to him. It was the bright smile and teary eyes that stole his breath away.

It wasn't that he could just see the emotions on her face. But he could feel them. Deep inside. Knowing he could cause her such happiness filled him until he thought he'd burst.

Until he met Elizabeth, Michael had been his reason for living. Before he'd been blessed with his son, it'd been his friendship with Sonny. Every year he had more reasons and watching Elizabeth draw near, he wondered how many more they'd be able to add.

What seemed to be an eternity, Elizabeth was standing before him. Handing her flowers to Emily with shaky hands. Bringing her eyes up to his, Jason couldn't keep the big goofy smile off his face.

Squeezing her hands before turning to the Justice of the Peace, Jason smiled when the man winked at him before clearing his throat.

"Dearly beloved. We are gathered her today . . ."


End file.
